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Baby born under earthquake rubble named ‘miracle’ by hospital

The baby’s umbilical cord had been cut and tied by the relatives who found Aya with her dead mother
The baby’s umbilical cord had been cut and tied by the relatives who found Aya with her dead mother

The Syrian baby who was born underneath the rubble of her home following Monday’s devastating earthquake has been named Aya, which translates to miracle, by the hospital, as her condition strengthened.

Khaled Radwan, the hospital’s manager, said that he has so far paid for Aya’s medical treatment and will raise her as his own if her remaining relatives – cousins of her father – are unable to look after her.

Her entire immediate family, including both of her parents and the four siblings that she never got to meet, were killed when the earthquake caused their home in the rebel-held town of Jandaris to collapse.

Her mother was likely dying when she gave birth, according to Mr Radwan.

The Telegraph on Tuesday tracked down the baby to Cihan hospital in Afrin after being sent a video of her miracle rescue. Her umbilical cord was still showing in the video after it had been cut and tied by the relatives who found Aya with her dead mother after 10 hours of searching.

When she came into the hospital she was “bitterly cold”, bruised, and had wounds from beginning her life in rubble, Mr Radwan said, as he shared new photos of Aya in her intensive care incubator.

Khaled Radwan, the hospital’s manager, shared new photos of Aya in her intensive care incubator
Khaled Radwan, the hospital’s manager, shared new photos of Aya in her intensive care incubator

In new photos shared with the Telegraph Aya can be seen looking a healthy weight, wearing an oversized nappy with her wrist bandaged. In another photo of when she was found in the rubble, the newborn baby can be seen bruised and scraped, hugging herself from the cold.

The international community has been unable to get any aid into the northwest of Syria so far, with the only UN-approved route into the opposition territory inaccessible from the quake.

Doctors are reporting a severe shortage of equipment in a healthcare system that was already near collapse following 12 years of war.