In order to curb instances of babies being switched at birth, Noida’s health department has made it compulsory for hospitals, both government and private, to record every child’s footprint immediately after birth.
According to doctors more than 90 percent of human footprints were unique and taking the impression of a baby’s foot could be an easy identification mark.
The impression, which will be signed by the doctor on duty, would be part of the new-born’s medical record.
Officials said in most cases where allegations of baby-switching are made, hospital’s non-medical staff spread falsehoods about the new-born’s sex in the hope of getting money from the families. Recording the baby’s footprint could help in putting the record straight.
According to health department sources, even though the practice of recording a child’s footprint was already being widely followed in Noida hospitals, it needed to be done for all births.
