KUALA LUMPUR: The hospital accused of storing a newborn's body in a freezer for two weeks has clarified that a burial permit was signed after the baby's death.
Hospital Bersalin Razif (HBR) issued a statement saying its doctors informed the baby's father to make burial arrangements the following day. The hospital also said the mother was told she could bury the baby before settling the bill.
HBR claimed that the mother was admitted on humanitarian grounds due to severe labour pains, despite being unbooked, unscreened, and lacking antenatal care. The mother also reportedly stated she was unmarried.
"HBR had to accept her on humanitarian grounds in spite of being unbooked and unscreened. She was brought to the labour room and delivered almost immediately. Her baby was a cyclops syndrome with one eye, absent nose and anus.", it said.
In the statement, the hospital claimed the father did not accompany her during the delivery.
The hospital continued, saying the doctor explained the baby's condition to the father and advised him to perform the azan.
After routine injections were administered, the baby turned blue and died minutes later.
The burial permit was signed, and the doctor told the father to arrange for the burial the next day. The father left the hospital, saying he needed to go elsewhere, claimed the hospital.
The hospital claimed the mother was allowed to be discharged the following day and was in good health. She informed HBR she could not pay the RM2,480 bill and was told she could arrange the burial first. The mother later indicated the father would handle the burial arrangements, it added.
"So HBR waited for him to take the baby for burial," it said.
Over the next few days, HBR claimed it had kept reminding her to proceed with the burial but she kept saying the father would arrange.
"She was treated well mingling with the ward staff, providing counselling and free meals," the hospital said.
The father came to visit her for a few minutes once in two to three days. Attempts to talk to him about the burial failed, claimed the hospital.
HBR said the management had discussed with the mother to get police to help to settle the burial but she pleaded not to get the police involved.
It claimed that she kept saying that all decisions would be from the father and that HBR tried to get family contacts but she refused.
The hospital said she claimed that she lives in a rented room with the father. She does not have any relatives or friends nearby, it added.
The issue came to light after the founder of an NGO had claimed the baby's remains were prevented from leaving the hospital after the father couldn't afford to pay the bill.
The baby was then placed in the freezer for two weeks until the dad managed to pay the bill.
According to the founder, the baby was buried in the Muslim cemetery in Selat Klang on Dec 9.