Two girls switched at birth three years ago returned to their rightful parents last Monday, but the families said they first wanted more compensation from the hospital that made the mistake.

“The VNĐ20 million (US$890) offered and the payment for previous DNA tests are not satisfactory,” said Hoàng Văn Tuấn, one of the parents, from Bình Phước Province.

He said the amount was insufficient for the damage caused to both families since 2013, when the girls were born. “I will file a lawsuit against the hospital.”

Hoàng Văn Thanh, director of Bình Long Town General Hospital in the province, apologised to the two families during a recent meeting on July 25.

“This is an unfortunate mistake that has affected the psychological health of the girls, and has also upset the families’ daily activities,” Thanh said.

On January 10, 2013, Nguyễn Thi Thu Trang and Thị Liên gave birth to baby girls at the hospital. The newborns, each weighing three kilos, were mistakenly handed to their wrong mothers.

In May, 2016, while selling bread in a nearby village, Trang’s father noticed a baby who looked strikingly similar to his daughter. Both families then filed a complaint against the hospital.

One of the parents, Vũ Đình Khiên admitted that he had even questioned his wife’s fidelity after noticing that the baby girl did not look like either parent.

Local authorities have promised both families that proper identity papers for their children will be issued soon. VNS