The baby who was recently rejected by its mother at Kabwe Central Hospital has finally been accepted by her family and taken home to Chisamba. The baby’s grandfather, Temple Mwanatuba, and Kabwe Central Hospital medical superintendent Victor Kusweji confirmed the development in separate interviews.

The baby, named Ndiza [translated as Maybe in English] left Kabwe Central Hospital on August 23 with her 22-year-old mother, Jet Mwanatuba, to her new home in Chikonkomene. Ms Mwanatuba was among nine women who on June 26 gave birth at Kabwe Central Hospital when the hospital recorded births of four male and five female babies.

She later returned to the hospital claiming she had given birth to a male baby but was allegedly given a female baby, prompting the hospital management to summon all mothers who delivered during the period she was in hospital. Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) samples were collected from the eight women and their babies, and on August 14, Kabwe resident magistrate Sibaleya Chikuba ruled that the results of the tests showed that Ndiza was Ms Mwanatuba’s baby. “We have accepted the baby on humanitarian grounds and we got the baby girl. We have come to terms with the situation although under duress,” Mr Mawanatuba said.

He said her daughter and granddaughter were taken to their home in Chikonkomene on August 23 by an ambulance the hospital provided. He said both mother and baby are in good health. Mr Mwanatuba, however, maintained his family should be compensated as the documents at the hospital also indicated that her daughter was delivered of a male baby.

“We got the baby because we had to abide by the ruling of the court because we didn’t want contempt,” he said. And Dr Kusweji said the ruling of the court concluded the suspected case of baby swap, the first of its kind at Central Province’s biggest hospital. He said the hospital released the baby to Ms Mwanatuba because DNA results revealed she is the mother of the baby.

“The baby was picked by the family between 21 August and 24th and both mother and child at the time they were leaving the hospital were in good health,” Dr Kusweji said. He said some concerns Mr Mwanatuba’s family brought to the attention of the hospital management could be pursued through other avenues. Meanwhile, Mr Mwanatuba has alleged that the Kabwe Magistrate’s Court has declined to give his family a copy of the DNA results from Lancet Laboratory of Lusaka.

“We were not given the DNA report but the ruling said attached hereto are the results of the DNA. We are puzzled why we have not been given the results of a DNA.” Mr Mwanatuba said his family has the right to have a copy of the DNA report at no fee.