SINGAPORE: "Help My Premature Baby Jero" campaign has successfully raised S$280,000 to cover the medical bills for a baby boy born in Singapore to Malaysian parents.

Bernama which has been monitoring the fundraising exercise published on the website of GIVE.asia, saw the campaign reaching the targetted figure at around 12.30pm with more than 4,000 givers.

The appeal was made by the Malaysian couple who is working in the republic through GIVE.asia, Asia's leading free fundraising platform for fundraisers to raise money for their cause.

Jero Yong who is the first child of the couple was born on April 9, 2021 after only 27 weeks of pregnancy weighing only 1000g.

In the website, the father, Yong Chee Hou said his plan was to go back to Malaysia for his wife to give birth, and the estimated due date is supposed to be on July 9, 2021.

However, three-month ahead of the due date, on April 9 at 3am, his wife felt the pain in her abdomen and the amniotic fluid started flowing out.

She was immediately rushed to KK Women's and Children's Hospital and caesarean was performed in order to save both the mother and baby.

According to Yong, the baby's organ had not fully developed and was required to stay in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for 101 days of observation.

Yong and his wife have used out their savings to clear part of the bill but it is still continuously increasing.

Doctors foresee Jero to remain at the hospital for at least two more months and the estimated cost given for the stay is S$230,000 to S$280,000.

All funds raised via https://give.asia/campaign/help-my-premature-baby-jero#/ will be managed by Giveasia Kindness to be paid directly to the hospital.

-- BERNAMA