An immigrant\u00a0family stung with a $31,000\u00a0bill from Dunedin Hospital for the birth of their child have been left \u201cabsolutely humbled\u201d after\u00a0donations poured in to help pay it.<\/p>\n
Shalveen Sen and his wife\u00a0Swastika Chand\u00a0have\u00a0lived in New Zealand for the past three years but their work visas expired in late June.<\/p>\n
The Fiji-Indian couple\u00a0were left with the\u00a0$31,815 hospital bill after their baby boy Nyshik was born in Dunedin on June 27, three days after his\u00a0parents\u2019 New Zealand work visas expired.<\/p>\n
Mr Sen said he was \u201chorrified\u201d by the amount\u00a0the hospital had charged \u2014\u00a0he had expected something closer to $9000.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was totally unexpected \u2014\u00a0I don\u2019t know how they got that amount.\u201d<\/p>\n
The past few weeks have consisted of preparing for their departure and last-ditch efforts to secure work, along with looking after their newborn.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter the visas finished, we were not offered any work, any kind of support. We were rolling on our savings.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, we\u2019re very grateful for this support.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Thursday, it appeared the Dunedin health community had rallied round and pledged almost\u00a0$31,000 for the\u00a0child\u2019s healthcare on a Giveallitle page<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Mr Sen said the family was \u201cabsolutely humbled\u201d by the community response.\u00a0<\/p>\n He said if the birth had occurred a week earlier, they would not have been stuck with the hospital bill.<\/p>\n Healthcare is largely subsidised in the public health system for citizens and residents, provided their papers are in order.<\/p>\n Mr Sen and Ms Chand said they would be returning to Fiji on Sunday.<\/p>\n Ms Chand had worked here as a healthcare assistant.\u00a0<\/p>\n They were not sure how long they will be in Fiji, and they did want to return to Dunedin eventually, but they expected it would be at least a year before returning to New Zealand for work.<\/p>\n Mr Sen admitted the departure was bittersweet.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe loved Dunedin, everyone was so pleasant to us.\u201d<\/p>\n