Muhimbili Hospital detains an infant’s body for two days over a Sh600,000 bill

Dar es Salaam. Ms Hamida Gwota gave birth through caesarean section at Muhimbili National Hospital on May 7 this year. Her child was born with gastroschisis, a birth defect where the child’s intestines are found outside. Unfortunately, Hamida’s child died five days later, on May 12.

When the bill came, an amount of Sh631,584 , the hospital detained Ms Hamida and refused to give her daughter over for burial. Although the national health policy demands free treatment of newborns, Ms Hamida was denied the privilege.

Speaking at his Ukonga home on Friday, May 18, Mr Hamis Gwota, Hamida’s father said the family had to step in to rescue the situation while his granddaughter’s body was preserved at the mortuary until when the money was found.

“MNH said treatment bills should be cleared first. I was surprised because the Health Minister Ms Ummy Mwalimu has been heard several times, insisting  that children under the age of five should receive free treatment,” he said.

He said that he had to ask for contribution from members of the family, friends and relatives.

“My daughter had to remain at the hospital until the following day when the bill was paid,” he said, adding that he was so disappointed.

He said without contributions from family members, relatives and friends her daughter would have remained at the hospital to date.

Earlier, Ms Hamida explained that she thought that her National Health Insurance Funds (NHIF) would be helpful to cover treatment bills of the newborn, but that wasn’t the case.

What happened was, Ms Hamida had started treatment at a private clinic before moving to MNH. MNH head of communications unit, Mr Aminiel Aligaesha said according to the MNH policy, patients referred from private hospitals are treated as independent patients.

“This is regardless to whether the patient is expectant mother or a child. That is our policy and it is open in that area,” he said.