Parents Given 'Dead' Twins In Plastic Bags By Delhi Hospital, 1 Was Alive

New Delhi: A baby declared dead along with his still-born twin by an upscale Delhi hospital, and handed over to his parents in a plastic package, was found breathing when he was about to be buried. The staggering botch-up has been reported at a time another private hospital is being investigated for overcharging the parents of a seven-year-old girl who died of dengue.

Union Health Minister JP Nadda called it "heartbreaking" while Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted that he had ordered an inquiry and "strongest action" would be taken.

The twins, born yesterday morning at a Max Hospital in north Delhi's Shalimar Bagh, were being taken for burial about six hours later when their parents realized, to their complete shock, that one of the babies was squirming in its package. "They handed us both bodies wrapped like a courier package from the back door. After we travelled three km, we felt a movement in one (bag). We ripped it open, found bits of plastic and the baby inside, breathing," said Kailash, the baby's grandfather.

The family rushed to a hospital in the busy Kashmere Gate area and was told that the baby boy was alive. He is on ventilator at the same hospital. Members of the family and their relatives protested at the Max hospital today, demanding action.

One of the twins was declared still-born soon after birth.

The surviving twin, the parents were told, needed critical medical care and had to be kept in an incubator. "The hospital said for three days it will cost Rs 1 lakh each and after that it would cost 50,000 each day, and he had to be kept for three months," said a relative.

As the family decided to go to a smaller hospital, it was told that the second baby was also dead.

Max Healthcare said the doctor responsible for the blunder had been sent on leave.

In a statement, the hospital said the "22-week premature baby" was handed over without any sign of life. "We are shaken and concerned at this rare incident. We have initiated a detailed enquiry, pending which, the concerned doctor has been asked to proceed on leave immediately. We are in constant touch with the parents and are providing all the needed support," said the statement.

Last month, the parents of a seven-year-old girl who died of dengue after a fortnight at Gurgaon's Fortis hospital alleged that they were allowed to take their child's body only after they paid a Rs. 18 lakh bill that allegedly included the cost of 2,700 gloves. The charge is being investigated by the government.