Should patients' trusts in hospitals - especially those who die and have no known relatives - be given to the social services department?

Fatwa no. 12516 All Praise be to Allah and peace and blessings be upon the seal of prophets. The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta' has read the question sent by the manager of King Fahd hospital in Al-Hufuf to His Eminence the president through the Center of Da'wah and Guidance in Al-Ahsa'. This question was sent to the Committee by the General Secretary of Council of Senior Scholars in a letter no. 4627 dated in 6/22/1409 A.H. The text of the question is: "We would like to know the legal ruling on the trusts placed by some patients in the safe of the hospital. Some of the people who placed trusts in the safe of the hospital are dead and others are unknown to us. We called their heirs to come and receive their property, but they refused to come to receive these trusts as they are valueless. Others do not have a valid address and therefore we can not reach them. Moreover, these trusts may be minimal sums of money, pieces of jewels, small machines, (Part No. 15; Page No. 419) watches and identity cards. We have had some of these things for four years or more. We would like to know the legal way of disposing of these things and the legal steps we have to follow. Moreover, we have a special department for medical and social services that takes care of the social circumstances of the patients. This department introduces financial assistance to children whose fathers are unknown. This money is taken from a Patients Fund that is supported by donors and charitable persons. This department also introduces financial assistance to patients who suffer kidney failure and those who are in need of such assistance."

A: If the reality is as you have mentioned in the question, these trusts should be given to the department of medical and social services in order for them to spend it in its charitable channels such as sustaining children whose fathers are unknown, purchasing clothes for them, introducing financial assistance to the needy people who suffer kidney failure, etc. May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.