The Ba Vi District General Hospital in Hanoi has held a meeting on July 19 to return the two six-year-old boys to their biological parents after they were mistakenly given to wrong parents at birth.

(Left to right) Vu Thi Huong and Phung Giang Son

Ba Vi General Hospital has paid a total VND47m (USD1,800) for the families' travelling fees, DNA tests and other related fees. The hospital also compensated the families VND150m (USD6,000) each for the lawsuit to be withdrawn. The Department of Justice was asked to quickly correct legal documents for the babies and their families.

The hospital representative apologised to the families at the meeting. Since one of the children has eye problems, the hospital promised to help with his treatment.

Phung Giang Son, one of the children's fathers, said, "I don't want to blame anyone now but to start thinking about the children's future. We and the children have been badly affected during this time so we hope to put an end to everything here."

He also thanked the Ministry of Health and organisations who had helped them find their children and hoped to keep a close contact with the other family.

Vu Thi Huong, the mother of the other child, cried and said she wanted more time for the children to be more familiar with their new families. What she worries about the most is the child's mental health as he can't accept the new reality yet.

"I'm glad to be able to find my own baby. But I also have been raising the other child as my own and parting with him is heartbreaking," she said.

Son's father, Phung Van Phuong, said the reunion had more sadness than happiness but it was necessary for the children to know their biological parents. Both of the children will be enrolled in the same school and Huong may quit her job in Hanoi to be able to stay with the children.

"I think both of them as my grandchildren and Huong is my daughter. The parents are also glad to have two sons," Phuong said.

The babies were given to wrong parents six years ago at Ba Vi General Hospital. Son said when the doctors gave him the newborn son, his wife already noticed and was suspicious about the different nappy. However, the doctors insisted that the baby was theirs. As the boy grew up, he looks very different from Son and his wife. A test at the National Institute of Criminal Sciences proved that he had been given the wrong baby.

The hospital then admitted the mistake and found the other family. Son filed a lawsuit to the Ba Vi People's Court, demanding the hospital to pay compensation for physical and mental harm.

Dtinews