RIYADH, Dec 24: An anonymous Pakistani philanthropist has paid the outstanding hospital bill to secure the release of month-old Shan, son of a Pakistani driver. The hospital was refusing to release the newborn baby to his parents until the outstanding amount in his name was cleared in full. The bill was going up with the passage of each day. The Pakistani man came to the rescue of the poor couple only after their story was carried in the local daily Arab News.

The man who paid the bill wished to remain anonymous, said the child’s 35-year-old father, Tahir Akram Mohammed.

Mr Tahir also said that his phone had been ringing non-stop since his case was taken by the local press here.

"Ever since the first call came from the anonymous man who helped us get our child, my mobile phone has been flooded by calls from Pakistanis and even an Indian man who offered to pay my (outstanding) bill,” he said, estimating that he had received over 100 calls in a matter of hours, including 10 people on pilgrimage in Makkah who read the story, and one caller from the United States.

Mr Tahir’s wife Rehana, an Indian national, arrived at the hospital in Riyadh on November 14 to give birth to Shan, who was born prematurely and required an extended stay at the public hospital. The hospital billed the couple 5,940 Saudi riyals for the birth, of which he paid 4,540 riyals.

But when the couple arrived on December 10 to pick up their child, the bill had shot up to 10,732 riyals. After Mr Tahir said he did not have the money to pay the bill, the hospital officials refused to give the couple their child until the bill was settled in full, including charges for the additional time the child was held in the hospital despite the parents’ desire to take their baby home.

"We went through an ordeal no parent should have to endure," Ms Rehana told the local press.