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The Ministry of Health has sent a letter of reprimand to a private hospital in Cimahi, West Java, in relation to the death of an infant there reportedly because of belated treatment.

Kuntjoro Adi Purjanto, the secretary for health efforts, said MAL hospital management had not communicated well with the child’s parents and because of that damaged the image of Indonesian hospitals.

Eight-month-old Nisza Ismail died last month after suffering from high fever and seizures. Nisza’s parents have accused the hospital of neglecting the infant because they were unable to hand over the Rp 70,000 ($7.80) they owed in advance payment for the child’s treatment.

The ministry demanded the hospital improve its communication capabilities as well as its services for the poor at its emergency ward.

“If the patient is admitted in a critical condition, the hospital is not allowed to ask for payments up front. The patient should first be treated,” Kuntjoro said.

Hospitals are required to provide treatment first, regardless of the patient’s ability to pay, but the principle is not always heeded by some private hospitals. The ministry official said that in Nisza’s case, the hospital did provide the necessary medical treatment although that was not communicated to the parents.

The Jakarta Globe earlier erroneously reported that Health Minister Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih had checked in on the case with Nisza’s mother. The checks were made not with the parents but with staff of a health center where Nisza was first admitted.

Nisza was later refused treatment at two hospitals, and at the third, the hospital in Cimahi, the baby was given care but the parents were under the impression she would not be treated.