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Holidaymaker died 'unable to pay bribe'
THE brother of a South Yorkshire woman died in an Indonesian hospital after doctors refused to treat him unless they were paid a $1,700 "bribe", it has been claimed.
April Nord, from Barnsley, tried frantically to raise the money after being told her brother Dale was being refused intensive care treatment while on holiday on the other side of the world.
Doctors at Pertamina hospital in Jakarta said 43-year-old Dale was in a diabetic coma and suffering multiple organ failure - but demanded an up-front cash payment before they helped him, according to his sister and a Labour MP.
Parliament heard April desperately called the emergency duty officer at the British embassy in Jakarta.
But the Foreign Office refused to guarantee or loan the money - and it is claimed the official was initially unwilling even to attend hospital because such work was not his "day job" and he did not have an interpreter.
Friends in Jakarta managed to provide $700 but Dale died around 12 hours after being admitted to hospital.
Tragically, tests later carried out by a specialist in West Yorkshire revealed he had been suffering severe dehydration and would have been "easily" resuscitated if he had been given fluids.
MPs were told the specialist concluded his death was "entirely preventable".
The case was raised during a Westminster Hall debate by Barnsley Central MP Eric Illsley, who said the public "expect a better service from our consular staff abroad".
He added: "I appreciate the guidelines state no financial assistance is available, but by the same token it is strange the Foreign Office was willing simply to stand by and allow the man to die for the want of $1,700."
Foreign Office minister Bill Rammell denied Pertamina hospital withheld treatment until it received payment and said the embassy official was "correct in saying he could not guarantee payment of the medical bills".
MPs heard Dale was unconscious when he arrived at hospital on the evening of January 4 with his girlfriend Anna, having spent the whole day in his hotel room.
Mr Illsley said: "When presented with Mr Nord, the hospital refused to treat him until his companion had provided $1,700 in cash."
Anna, who is Indonesian, called April at her home in South Yorkshire, who in turn called the British embassy where she spoke to a the duty officer.
Mr Illsley added: "Unfortunately, he responded by saying it was not his day job."
He told April "everything in Jakarta works on bribery" and the request for $1,700 was "probably a request for a bribe", Mr Illsley said.
The official suggested April offer to make a credit card payment - but this was refused by the hospital, it is claimed.
Mr Illsley continued: "A friend provided $700.
At that point the hospital agreed to begin some assessment .
"However, at 5am, Mr Nord allegedly suffered a cardiac arrest and, later that day, he died."
Mr Illsley and April Nord's account is disputed by the Foreign Office.
Mr Rammell said: "It is our clear understanding from what Mr Nord's friend said to the duty officer at the time that in fact the hospital did not withhold treatment until it received the payment it had requested.
"Our belief is Mr Nord was treated throughout the night and was certainly being treated when the duty officer from the embassy arrived."
The Bradford coroner opened an inquest into Mr Nord's death on January 16. No date has yet been fixed for the inquest hearing.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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