Maternity Hospital Denies Allegations Of Detaining Baby's Remains Due To Unpaid Bill
"Wasn't detaining the mother sufficient as collateral for the hospital?" questioned a funeral services provider.
By May Vin Ang — 11 Dec 2024, 04:05 PM
A funeral management company has accused a maternity hospital in Klang, Selangor, of refusing to release a couple's deceased baby until the hospital bill was paid
The founder of Unit Khas Van Jenazah (UKVJ), an Islamic funeral services provider, shared the alleged incident on their Facebook page, Mr Wan Cai Official, after the grieving father reached out for assistance.
According to the post, the baby boy, named Adham, was born on 24 November with severe abnormalities, including the absence of an eye, nose, and anus, and passed away just a few minutes after birth.
UKVJ claimed that the hospital withheld the baby's remains in its mortuary freezer for two weeks, refusing to release them for burial until the parents paid the hospital bill of RM3,600.
The funeral service provider said it was inhumane for the hospital to delay the baby's burial over the bill, which was finally paid in full on Monday, 9 December
"When someone passes away, the handling of the deceased should be expedited. No reason or excuse should delay the process unless there is an emergency.
"In this case, it is evident that the hospital owner's decision to withhold baby Adham's remains from being [released] was inappropriate and cruel.
"Wasn't detaining the mother sufficient as collateral for the hospital?" they questioned, seeking an explanation as to why the baby's remains had to be withheld.
UKVJ also shared the chronology of events leading up to the incident, as recounted by the baby's father
The man explained that while he was at work on the night of 23 November, his wife was sent to the private maternity hospital by a friend after experiencing severe pain.
He had planned to transfer his wife to a government hospital in Klang but was unable to do so in time when doctors informed him that the baby was about to be delivered and facing complications.
After the birth, the hospital issued a bill of RM3,600, which was reduced to RM2,480 after deducting the deposit and unused nursery fees.
As the father could not afford to immediately pay this amount, he tried to raise funds over the next two weeks by borrowing from family and friends. The amount was insufficient until a donor came forward to settle the remaining balance on Monday.
The father said that despite his repeated requests, he was not allowed to take his child's body for burial until the full payment had been made.
The issue came to light when the father sought UKVJ's assistance to arrange his child's funeral, and Adham was finally laid to rest on Tuesday, 10 December, two weeks after his birth.
In a statement issued today, 11 December, Hospital Bersalin Razif (HBR) has denied allegations of withholding the baby's remains, and claimed that the father was to blame for the delay in arranging the burial
In the statement, the hospital also claimed that the couple was not legally married, and that the mother had never attended an antenatal check-up.
"The burial permit was signed, and the doctor informed the 'husband' to arrange the burial the next day. The 'husband' then left the hospital as he said he had to go elsewhere.
"[The patient] was then informed that she can arrange the burial first before paying the bill. Later, she said her 'husband' will be arranging the burial. So, HBR waited for him to take the baby for burial," the statement read.
In response to the hospital's statement, UKVJ maintained its position that the hospital withheld the baby's remains and affirmed that they had verified the couple's marriage certificate.
