Kochi: Health Minister Veena George on Friday directed the Women and Child Development Department to take care of a 23-day-old baby girl, abandoned in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of a private hospital in Kochi by her parents from Jharkhand,According to an official release, officials will visit the hospital and make further arrangements. “If the parents return, the baby will be handed over to them. If they do not want custody, the Child Welfare Committee will take legal steps to care for the child,” it said, news agency PTI reported.Also Read:Kerala HC Directs Doctors to Preserve Foetus in MTP Cases Involving Minor VictimsThe Ernakulam General Hospital Superintendent has been asked to ensure proper medical treatment for the baby. The baby’s parents, a couple from Jharkhand, were working at a fish farm in Kottayam. While travelling home for the delivery, the mother developed health issues on a train.She was taken to the nearest hospital, where she gave birth to a baby girl. Since the baby weighed less than one kilogram, she was moved to a private hospital’s NICU for special care. Later, the parents went missing. The hospital authorities have been unable to contact them, reports PTI.As per a media report in The New Indian Express, under the coordination of Hospital Superintendent Dr Shahirsha, a team of expert doctors led by pediatrician Dr Viji will monitor the newborn’s condition. As there are no known relatives, neonatal nurses have been deputed for round-the-clock care. Breast milk is being sourced from a milk bank to ensure proper nutrition.Also Read:Kerala: Health Minister Veena George to inaugurate first ever project on collection, disposal of expired medicines