Ranchi: Ranchi district welfare department has said that the medical records and vaccination cards of 22 babies, who stayed at the Missionaries of Charity-run child care home Shishu Bhavan, are missing.

These 22 babies - who are aged two years or less and either orphaned, rescued, or children of single parents - had been shifted from Shishu Bhavan, Hinoo, to government-run childcare homes earlier this month when the baby-sale racket surfaced at another Missionaries of Charity's home Nirmal Hriday, on East Jail Road.

Now, welfare department is expected to ask Ranchi child welfare committee (CWC) to issue a showcause notice to Shishu Bhavan in this regard.

These babies had been shifted "for security reasons" at state-run Karuna adoption center in Bariatu and Sahyog Village at Aryapuri on Ratu Road on July 6. Currently, seven babies are staying at Karuna, six at Sahyog Village, seven more who were originally from Khunti have been sent to that district under the wing of its CWC, and two more to their families in Ranchi itself, said a welfare source.

But, without their medical or vaccination records, it is impossible for the new guardians to ascertain which shots the babies have received and which they still have not.

Also, not knowing the medical or vaccination history of babies, poses a risk for the paediatrician treating them.

The matter assumes immediate importance with a immunisation campaign on measles-rubella (MR) starting from July 26.

The fact that the babies' medical history is completely unknown to their new guardians came to light on Saturday afternoon when some office-bearers of Karuna came with the daily health check-up report of the babies to the office of Ranchi district social welfare officer Kanchan Singh.

During a discussion of the health of one of the ill babies, aged around one-and-a-half months, who had been hospitalised recently, a Karuna official requested Singh to give the health reports and vaccination cards of these babies.

District social welfare officer Singh immediately contacted her juniors on the matter. It was learnt that these vital reports were missing.

"My subordinate told me that Shishu Bhavan only handed over the profiles of 22 children, including the applications of the parents/kin and documents of their admission at Shishu Bhavan," she said.

"Either Shishu Bhavan is deliberately denying us the documents or it had never done health check-ups of these babies or vaccinated them," she alleged.

Singh added it was mandatory for all childcare institutions registered under Juvenile Justice Act to keep medical report of children and ensure their vaccination.

Shishu Bhavan authorities could not be communicated for their comments.