Alwar, Rajasthan, July 29: The parents of a newborn girl abandoned her on July 6 in Rastogi Hospital, Bharatpur to her fate presuming she would die and left for their home.
The infant was suffering from respiratory problems, infection in intestines and a bloated stomach, doctors said.
It was then that the infant's uncle Ramdev Meena came forward and took charge of the newborn child.
On July 14, the infant was shifted to Babylon Hospital in Jaipur, where she is now healthy and is taking milk feed.
The infant now awaits her parents Radheshyam Meena and his wife Babli , who are yet to see their offspring 15 days since she was born.
Babli Meena had 16 pre-mature deliveries earlier, and none of the offsprings survived. On July 6, she gave birth to her 17th offpspring at Rastogi Hospital, Bharatpur.
Of the 16 pre-mature deliveries, the first six were born six months after they were conceived. The seventh and eighth were born dead in Rastogi Hospital, Bharatpur.
The 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th offsprings were only seven months old. The 13th pre-mature delivery was for twins, both born dead.
The 14th, 15th and 16th offsprings were also born dead as they were hardly 6 to 7 months old since they were conceived.
Babli Meena is an Anganwadi worker, while the infant's uncle Ramdev works as a head constable in Railway Protection Force and is posted in Gujarat. Father Radheshyam is a farmer.
Presently, Ramdev is performing the duties of a mother to the infant in the hospital.
Says Ramdev Meena: "The government wants to root out the evil of female infanticide and I am all for it."
Dr Dhananjay Mangal of Babylon Hospital said, when Ramdev brought the newborn infant, which was hardly seven-and-a-half months since she was conceived, she had several critical problems.
"Now her condition is gradually improving. The infant has been kept in an incubator, and would be discharged soon", said Dr Mangal.
Lack of proper nutrition during pregnancy and inherited traits are the main reasons for pre-mature deliveries, he added.
