This is just a tip of iceberg: Doctors
Sending shock waves, the number of infants left abandoned along roadsides and hospital premises is rising sharply across Kashmir region here.
Kashmir’s chief cleric and chairman Hurriyat Conference (M) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq expressed shock over what he termed as “degrading values” of the society.
Mirwaiz in a tweet said that he was unable to sleep whole night thinking about the recent degraded developments across Srinagar city.
“Are we not going toward waywardness? How can Allah be so merciful towards us when we are not worthy and upright?” Mirwaiz tweeted.
Pertinently, last Friday, a newborn baby was found abandoned near Bahuddin Ganj Baksh Park at Nowhatta locality. Though the locals rushed the male baby to nearby hospital, but he was declared brought dead there.
In an another shocking incident last month, three abandoned neonates, two among them females were taken into custody by Lal Ded hospital – generating a widespread debate on social media.
A one-day-old baby boy was found abandoned in the premises of the hospital.
“The male baby was found wrapped in a polythene bag in the backyards of the hospital and it came to light after a laboratory assistant heard the newborn’s cries. It attracted his attention,” witnesses at LD hospital told Kashmir Post.
They said the lab assistant rushed to the spot and raised alarm as packs of dogs had surrounded the baby with umbilical cord intact macerated by dogs was found.
Two more new-borns, both females were earlier abandoned inside the hospital, one on 14 and another on 17 January both during night hours.
“One baby girl was found on hospitals ramp, while another female neonatal was seen just outside labor room. Bother were dehydrated and are being treated here,” said the doctor.
The rising ‘illegal’ incidents have shocked entire Kashmir region.
“It is shocking. There are no surveillance cameras overlooking the hospitals or the baby hatch for abandoned infants elsewhere in other districts,” said an activist, Nazir Khan. “The authorities must keep vigil and we all as a society must get lessons out if these acts. Something impressive needs to be done at civil society level,” he added. “What you hear is from capital city, the situation is even worse in other district headquarters,” he claimed.
Doctors at LD hospital said that the three abandoned babies were delivered outside LD hospital and were taken to the hospital to dump them secretly. “Apparently, the babies have been delivered at homes. We have still not been able to trace their parents,” doctors said.
Notably in last over two years, more than 20 babies, abandoned by their parents, have been brought to either Lal Ded or GB Pant Hospital. The number could have been much higher, had the abandoned babies left at roadsides were also reported to the hospitals.
According to hospital staff at GB Pant hospital, that one of the babies who was abandoned couple of days ago and thrown at the back side of the Lal Ded Hospital was “born out of wedlock.
“When we medically examined the baby, his umbilical cord was stitched and appears that it was more of a home delivery,” they said. “Apparently, we guess the baby’s parents were not married,” doctors said.
Medical superintendent, Lal Ded hospital, Dr Shabir Siddiqui termed the rising incidents of abandoned babies as highly shocking. “It’s really shocking for all of us. Such practices should stop,” he said.
“We see lot of shades – sometimes parents who come to deliver their baby abound it because it come out as female and then sometimes any abandoned baby is born out of wedlock,” he said.
He said that the hospital manages to take care of such babies and after following proper legal procedures, parents with no children approach them for baby adoption.
