Kochi | A 23-day-old baby girl, abandoned in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of a private hospital here by her parents from Jharkhand, will receive protection of the Kerala government.

State Minister for Health, Women, and Child Development, Veena George on Friday directed the Women and Child Development Department to take urgent action.

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.

The 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.