Malaysian couple claims hospital swapped their newborn girl with a baby boy

A Malaysian couple's happiness quickly turned to distress after discovering that their newborn daughter had allegedly been swapped with another family's baby boy. 

The incident reportedly occurred at a hospital in Kuala Lumpur. The father, Muhammad Harraz Haziq, has since lodged a police report on April 10, according to Malaysian publication New Strait Times on May 14. 

Harraz, 24, said the hospital had failed to provide a satisfactory explanation for the incident. 

His wife gave birth to their daughter on April 7. After which, the child was placed in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit. 

The infant was initially scheduled to be discharged on April 8, but remained hospitalised due to jaundice. 

On the night of April 8, a nurse reportedly took the baby for blood tests and returned the child the following day, placing her in an incubator. 

Harraz's wife only realised something was amiss at 6am, when she noticed that the baby returned to her was a boy. 

When the couple alerted the nurses, they allegedly doubted the claim. 

"They questioned me and asked whether I was sure my child was a girl. Luckily, I had taken a photograph of the birth confirmation form after my wife gave birth, as proof," Harrazz said. 

The couple were eventually reunited with their newborn on April 9. 

"But what puzzled me most was how the baby boy and my daughter were wearing my wife's tag," he pointed out. 

Harrazz said he was disappointed by the "serious case of negligence" and had sought an explanation from the medical team involved. However, he claimed they failed to provide a clear answer. 

He was also said he was unable to contact the doctor involved. 

"I am speaking up because I want a transparent explanation from the hospital management. How could such a serious breach of the standard operating procedure happen at a government hospital?" he said. 

"I do not want other parents to go through this kind of trauma." 

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melissateo@asiaone.com