A woman of a four-month-old baby has sought the help of the Government to adopt a newborn which she had recovered from an abandoned place near her village and breast fed her to keep her alive.
The baby suffering from pneumonia has been under treatment in the Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH).
Sources said Tapaswini Mundari of Bichanapati village under Khuntgao panchayat of lahunipada block had rescued a newborn from a forest on December 8. Soon she took every care of the baby so that it remains alive. Even, she breast fed the foundling.
After bringing the child to her home, she along with her husband had taken the child to lahunipada child health center but the doctors advised them to take the child to the Rourkela Government Hospital. As per the advice of the doctors, the couple rushed the child to the RGH where the child was immediately admitted in the SNCU unit. The couple had also purchased all medicines prescribed by the doctors. Although presence of the mother is not required in the SNCU unit, Tapaswini camped at hospital corridor.
On December 9, a youth, identifying him as an official of local Child line office, advised her to go back to her village and paid her Rs 200 towards her travel expenses. He also narrated that she cannot own the child, since the male baby is not her own child. Finding no other alternative, Tapaswini returned to her village the same night.
However, she was agains back at the hospital the next day as it was difficult for her remain aloof from the child on Monday.
“Since I have been taking all care of the child since I recovered him from the forest, I want to adopt the child,” said Tapaswini, adding that she was not aware of any rules and only she can taker her back if the Government officials agree.
“The child has been suffering from pneumonia and for his recovery will take another week,” said PK Patra, pediatrician of RGH.
“The lady had admitted the child and has been taking all care of the child as well, but we have to bring the matter to the knowledge of district administration and local Child line officials, before handing over the child to her,” Patra added.