Press Release
PR-147-2015
28 October 2015
Philippine Embassy Statement on Recent Case of
Female Death in Hospital
Following news about the hospitalization and death of a Filipino female national on 23 October 2015 named Rehang Lusay Bayan, there were some allegations and rumors about the circumstances of her hospitalization, the cause of her death, and the extent of the assistance extended to her by the Philippine government officials in Riyadh.
The facts of the case are that Filipino national Rehana Lusay Bayan had been taken by the Saudi Centre for Domestic Workers to a clinic several times after experiencing illness, and later brought by the Saudi Red Crescent and admitted into the Kingdom Hospital for treatment. At the time of admission, she was diagnosed with hemorrhagic infarction with deep cystic lesion. The hospital conducted the necessary medical examinations and extended the appropriate medical procedures as it would for any patient.
However Ms. Bayan passed away on 23 October 2015 at the Kingdom Hospital in Riyadh. Based on the medical report, the cause of her death is “massive cerebral infarction and sagittal sinus thrombosis”. She was also diagnosed to have Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and meningitis.
Based on her official documents, Ms. Bayan was born in 1980.
Rumors about the circumstances of her case, illness and death have been spread to rouse negative sentiment against her employer, hospital authorities and Philippine government personnel. These baseless allegations have unnecessarily added to the grief and anguish already experienced by the family of Ms. Bayan. These allegations also led some media outfits to produce sensationalized and unfounded reports on this matter.
Contrary to allegations, the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh asserts that it has not been- and is not- remiss in the conduct of its duties in handling the case of Ms. Bayan. The Embassy has met the family member in Riyadh and offered assistance for any aspect of the case after examination of the medical records. On the request of the immediate family members in the Philippines, the Philippine Embassy and Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) are currently taking the necessary steps for the speedy repatriation of her remains to the Philippines.
