Unable to pay medical bills, Agra couple 'sells' newborn to hospital
After the delivery of his pregnant wife at a hospital in Agra, a rickshaw puller was handed over a medical bill of Rs. 35,000, which he said he won't be able to afford. He later alleged that a doctor at the hospital had asked him to either pay the entire amount or sell the baby to him for Rs 1 lakh.
In a shocking incident, a hospital in Agra was accused of buying a newborn baby in exchange for waiving off hospital bills of a rickshaw puller's wife.
Acting swiftly upon being reported, the Agra administration has sealed the hospital and registered a complaint against the management. The rickshaw-puller has also been reunited with his baby.
According to information, Shiv Charan, who works as a rickshaw-puller in the Trans Yamuna area of Agra, had taken his pregnant wife to the JP Hospital for delivery a few days back.
His wife was subjected to a Covid-19 test and then the delivery was performed upon which a baby boy was born.
After the delivery of the baby, Shiv Charan's wife had to stay at the hospital for several days. On being discharged some days later, Shiv Charan was handed over a bill of Rs 35,000. He had then said that he won't be able to pay the amount.
Shiv Charan alleged that the manager of the hospital took this matter to the doctor who runs the hospital.
The doctor demanded that either Shiv Charan makes the entire payment, or sell the baby to him, the rickshaw puller said.
Unable to pay the bill, the couple agreed to sell the baby. The doctor bought the newborn baby for Rs 1 lakh, out of which, he adjusted the Rs. 35,000 hospital bills and returned the remaining amount of Rs 6,5000 to Shiv Charan.
When the district administration came to know about this incident, a team of health department officials raided the hospital.
The team found that the hospital was running in just four rooms on the first floor of a four-story building -- one room was for the manager, one for the doctor, one large room was serving as the delivery room and the remaining room was the 'ward'.
A senior health official told Indiatoday.in that the license of this hospital has not been renewed for 5 years.
Assistant Chief Medical Officer Dr RK Agnihotri said that the hospital was being sealed and inquiry will be set up against the hospital.
District Magistrate of Agra Prabhu N Singh has also set up a magisterial inquiry into the buying and selling of a newborn.
The statements of Shiv Charan and his wife were recorded on Wednesday in which they claimed that they were forced to sell their baby.
Shiv Charan said that his wife was not checked up by the Asha workers during her pregnancy which is why they had to go to a private hospital.
Chief Medical Officer Dr RC Pandey said that the concerned Asha workers are being asked to submit a report through their Assistant Nurse Matron.
Prabhu N Singh said that the child has been returned to the rickshaw-puller and his wife and the accused doctor will face criminal action for human trafficking and other crimes.
The investigation is on to find if the hospital is involved in the trafficking of babies.