A couple who welcomed their second child in New Zealand two months ago are facing a hospital bill of nearly $32,000 after their work visas expired just three days before their baby was born.
According to a report by Stuff, Shalveen Sen and Swastika Chand, who moved to New Zealand from Fiji three years ago with their six-year-old son, welcomed a healthy 3.2kg baby boy at Dunedin Hospital on June 27.
However, the couple’s three-year work visas had expired on June 24, meaning they were no longer eligible for New Zealand’s publicly funded healthcare system.
Sen had worked as a commercial cleaner, while Chand was employed as a caregiver. Despite their work experience and job offers, Immigration New Zealand did not renew their visas, Stuff has reported.
The couple had spent the past year trying to secure new visas. Their situation became more difficult when they learned Chand was pregnant and due to give birth in early July.
Pregnancy complications also meant medical professionals advised Chand not to travel during her third trimester, as reported by Stuff.
The couple said their midwife had warned them that a birth not covered by the public healthcare system could cost around $9,000.
According to Stuff, Immigration New Zealand advises people who are not eligible for publicly funded healthcare to cover their own medical expenses. According to INZ, such people “must show you have a minimum of NZ$9000 to pay for your maternity care”.
Chand eventually required a C-section and spent three days and two nights at Dunedin Hospital. Although both mother and baby were doing well, the final bill came to $31,815.50, Stuff has reported.
An invoice from Te Whatu Ora Southern dated August 24 showed the two-night inpatient stay cost $3,375.66, while the C-section was charged at $24,289.99, with GST adding a further $4,149.85.
The family is now facing financial difficulties after losing their ability to work because their visas are no longer valid.
“We are out of options,” Sen said. “We’ve been struggling for two months now,” as quoted by Stuff.
The family has been overstaying their visas and must leave New Zealand. They were waiting for their newborn’s passport to arrive from Fiji and were due to return to the country on Sunday.
Sen has launched a fundraiser to help cover the hospital bill, saying the family would struggle to repay the amount after returning to Fiji.
“That is impossible for us to pay,” he said, Stuff has quoted.
The couple had left Fiji three years ago after selling their assets to move to New Zealand.
Returning home will also be a major adjustment for their six-year-old son, Sen said.
“he doesn’t know anything about Fiji now”, as quoted by Stuff.
The family is now seeking financial assistance as they prepare to leave New Zealand with their newborn and return to Fiji, Stuff has reported.
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