Kerala to foot 10-day-old Yemen returnee's medical bill

Kochi, April 12
Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Sunday visited 10-day-old Parvathy, who had returned with her mother from strife-torn Yemen and promised that the state government will meet all medical expenses of the baby girl, born prematurely earlier this month.

Arriving on a makeshift incubator from Djibouti early Saturday, the baby girl and her mother, a nurse who has been working in Yemen for the past 10 years, were taken straight from the airport to a private hospital in an ambulance.

Chandy, after coming to know about the baby girl, visited her at the hospital Sunday afternoon.

Informed by the hospital authorities that the baby will have to spend another two weeks in the hospital, he immediately told the girl's relatives that all the medical expenses will be borne by the state government.

Raji gave birth to Parvathy on April 2 after undergoing a caesarean procedure. As evacuation of Indians was underway, both mother and child travelled from Yemen on an Indian ship to Djibouti and boarded the flight to Kochi. The baby's father was unable to accompany them as he had problems getting released from his employment and hence the two were sent with his sister.