SINGAPORE—A Singapore citizen, Sim Tee Hua, lost consciousness at work and was announced brain dead at the hospital on February 1. Because Sim didn't sign a statement of not wanting to donate his organs, according to Singapore law, his organs would be automatically donated to the hospital, against his family's wishes.
Sim's family begged the hospital to postpone the organ removal because he was still breathing and his heart was beating. However, despite the family's desperate request, the hospital forcibly removed Sim's organs, triggering disputes about forced organ removal.
Hospital's Right to Take Organs
The hospital claimed that since Sim didn't sign the statement of not wanting to donate his organs, the hospital can choose to ignore the family's will and has the right to use his organs. Sim's mother said she wasn't against organ donation. She felt that her son would wake up given time and she simply couldn't understand why the hospital wouldn't give them a couple of days more.
Sim's family tried many times to persuade the hospital to wait for a couple of days since Sim was still breathing, his heart was still beating, and his temperature was normal. Sim was healthy before the incident and his family wanted to give him a chance to regain consciousness. The hospital only agreed to give them one day.
Sim's older brother said that they didn't know about this law. Sim's older sister recalled that on the second day (February 2) after Sim was admitted into the hospital, the doctor told them that Sim was fine. The next day, the hospital called them and told them Sim went into a coma and asked them to come over. Sim's family was surprised that the organ transplant staff had come on February 3, even before the death certificate was issued.
According to the family, they couldn't find the doctor in charge during the first two days at the hospital. They were told that Sim had a stroke and no other details were given. Sim's family begged the hospital to give them two more days until February 7 considering Sim was really healthy before. The hospital told them they could only wait until 10 p.m. on February 6 because Sim's organs would start to fail as his brain dies.
Over 30 Security and Police Arrive
According to Sim's family, on February 6, they saw tears running down Sim's face and his hand moved. They immediately told the doctor but the doctor said he needed to open his eyes (to prove that he could still wake up.) At around 9 p.m., about 20-30 hospital security staff and police came to Sim's room. Around 20 family members were there that night. The family claimed the police were rude and rough on them. At 1 a.m. on February 7, according to Sim's sister and cousin, the police tricked them and pushed Sim away, running through another door. Media later reported the hospital took both of Sim's kidneys and corneas.
Sim's family received a letter from the hospital informing them that after filling out the form enclosed with the letter, Sim's parents would qualify for a 50 percent discount for hospital fees incurred in the next five years. Sim's sister commented that she could not understand why her parents couldn't automatically be qualified for the discount, since Sim was considered automatically qualified for donating his organs?
The reporter called the Singapore General Hospital asking for the doctor and was transferred to the hospital's public relations department. A lady told the reporter to call the Ministry of Health for they are in charge of organ acquisitions. The reporter asked for an explanation of what happened to Sim, since he died in the hospital and his family filed a complaint against the hospital. The reporter was told to send questions through email as they do not answer questions by phone.
Medical Expediency Backfires Publicly
After the incident was made public, many Singaporeans wrote to the media to express their sympathy for Sim's family. The incident has also triggered debates on whether the law on forced organ donations was reasonable. After the incident, many people have gone to hospitals and clinics requesting the form to decline organ donation.
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