Betul, Madhya Pradesh:
The joy of the new parents was short-lived, as they soon realized that they not only have got twins but that they are conjoined twins. The poverty stricken parents decided to hand them over to the Padhar hospital in Betul, Madhya Pradesh, expressing inability to bear the medical expenses of their daughters.
The parents had to take the difficult decision after they were told that the surgery to separate them and allied medical care would cost nearly Rs 10 lakh.
The parents Hariram Yadav and his wife, Maya, say they had little choice.
The joy of parenthood was suddenly weighed down by concerns of the well-being of the twins and the price it involves.
The two then filed an affidavit authorising the hospital to take care of the babies.
A visit to this remote village, where the couple lives, further illustrates that point. Mr Yadav has two acres of land, that too in his father's name. For a family that barely manages to meet its basic requirements, spending lakhs on medical treatment is unthinkable.
The twins need constant medical attention, and had they been brought home, rushing them to hospital in case of an emergency would have been difficult.
The nearest hospital is 15 kilometres away, and there's no public transport.
"We cannot afford their treatment at least in the hospital they are getting proper medical care," said Maya, mother.
Doctors say the twins had breathing problems and jaundice soon after they were born, but that's under control now.
And the surgery needed to separate them may not be a complex one.
"Our initial diagnosis says their internal organs are separate which will make the separation less complicated," said Dr Rajiv Choudhrie, Medical Superintendent, MS Padhar Hospital.
But that will have to be done by specialists at a hospital that's equipped to handle such surgeries, and all that needs money.
Mr Yadav and Maya know they cannot afford it but deep inside they hope that one day their daughters will be back with them.
Here's how you can help them:LOCAL ACCOUNT:
A/C Name: Padhar Hospital
Number : 20199101003
Bank of Maharashtra, Padhar Branch, Betul. M.P IFSC code: MAHB0000614
For Foreign Contribution:
A/C Name: Padhar Hospital
Number : 20199100021
Bank of Maharashtra, Padhar Branch, Betul. M.P IFSC code: MAHB0000614 SWIFT CODE: MAHBINBBNGP