ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority (IHRA) has directed all hospitals in the federal capital not to delay the handing over of the bodies of deceased patients to their relatives over unpaid bills. 

A notification issued by the health regulatory body stated, “In adherence to patients’ rights and ethical standards, all hospitals in Islamabad are hereby directed to refrain from retaining or holding the body of any deceased patient on account of outstanding financial payments.”

“I had received complaints that despite the fact that hospitals get advance payment for treatment, in case the bill surpasses the paid amount they don’t hand over the dead bodies to pressure families to get the bill cleared,” IHRA Chairman Dr Riaz Shahbaz Janjua said while talking to Dawn.

“Now no hospital can hold any dead body. As IHRA can only direct the hospitals of federal capital, our decision will be implemented in hospitals of Islamabad,” he said.

In adherence to patients’ rights and ethical standards, all hospitals are directed to refrain from retaining dead bodies on account of outstanding bills, says notification

It is worth mentioning that private hospitals have become habitual of holding dead bodies to pressure families to pay the dues.

In one such case, a woman was severely injured in a road accident and shifted to the emergency of a well-known private hospital of Islamabad by passersby. She died within minutes after reaching the hospital.

However, when the family members reached the hospital, they were told to first pay Rs250,000 before getting the body.

A doctor said healthcare has become a business across the country.

“It is a routine matter that private hospitals demand Rs2 million to Rs4 million at the time of admission of a critical patient or in case of a complicated surgery. In case of the death of a patient, even if the bill exceeds Rs100,000, hospitals do not hand over the body to the family and ask them to arrange the amount first,” he said.

“There are a number of incidences in which hospitals demanded half a million rupees to hand over the body. When the family managed to arrange the amount after a few days, they asked for an additional Rs100,000 for keeping the body in the mortuary,” he said.

In other countries, especially Europe, Australia and Canada, hospitals are bound to hand over the bodies without any delay.

In case of unpaid bills, it is collected through the medical insurance or later from the family. However, in Pakistan hospitals never care about the grieved families and health authorities also remain mum over the issue.

IHRA is an autonomous health regulatory body established under the Islamabad Health Regulation Act 2018.

It aims to improve the quality, efficiency and safety of healthcare services delivery by adopting evidence-based regulatory standards for registration and licensing of healthcare establishments, health professionals and equipment, and developing and enforcing minimum standards of safety for patients, healthcare professionals and other staff in healthcare establishments.

IHRA is also responsible for maintaining a register of all healthcare establishments, setting standards for registration and licensing of healthcare establishments and issuing licences for defining the scope and extent of healthcare services.

It is also responsible for regulating healthcare establishments in accordance with minimum service delivery standards and notified practices.

Healthcare establishments under the Act are required to get registered with IHRA and implement minimum services delivery standards to acquire licence to render health services.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2024