In an unprecedented ruling, the Islamabad Health Regulatory Authority (IHRA) has mandated that hospitals in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) should “immediately release” dead bodies, prohibiting such retention for non-payment of bills.
It has been like this for years, as families in Islamabad have suffered from hospital bodies refusing to release them until overdue charges are settled. This practice causes emotional and financial agony, especially for those already weighed down by high medical costs, mainly in private hospitals that take huge advance payments.
“This is an ethical consideration: All hospitals in Islamabad will henceforth not retain or hold the body of any deceased patient on account of outstanding financial payments as it contradicts the rights of the patients and ethical morals,” affirmed the IHRA notification.
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It has become a resounding success, regarded by many as a kind-hearted measure that addresses a long-standing problem. Many citizens exhaled relief thinking about those days of arranging funerals at a time of emotional and financial turmoil.
Haider Ali, a resident of Islamabad, shared: “This, indeed, is a blessing for families that undergo the toughest times of their lives. My father suffered a sudden heart attack and I had to run from pillar to post to have the bills cleared before we could bury him. It was a traumatic thing, really. Now, I feel so very relieved with this change.”
This decree is long overdue, claimed Advocate Imran Ali. “The families already overwhelmed by grief should not confront this inhumanity of paying in order to recover the body. This directs against exploitation and restores dignity for grieving families.”
Medical experts have also viewed this step as a positive move. The decision as such means a balance between financial sustainability and compassion, said Professor Dr Nasir Ali, a cardiologist at Pakistan.
Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS): “Hospitals must cover operational costs but families shouldn’t be exploited in their most vulnerable moments, and keeping aside funds for emergencies would ensure dignity without financial pressure.” The practice of not giving death certificates except after clearing a bill is critiqued by him since it violates religious, social, and moral values.
This moralizes with ethical practices in countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, where hospitals now lend empathy instead. As in the case of the UK, for example, the National Health Service (NHS) barred bodies from being withheld for unpaid bills to ensure dignity for the deceased and their families.
After appreciating the order, the financial worries of hospitals, especially private ones that rely on upfront payments, are raised. Experts have suggested that sustainable models, such as insurance or payment plans, be used to create a continued balance between financial viability and humane healthcare delivery.
For citizens, the decision of the IHRA is a step towards a more compassionate and humane healthcare system. It urges the need for further humane patient care in balancing hospital operations and patient welfare.