RIYADH – An expatriate worker who was severely disabled in a traffic accident has been left in a hospital for the last 10 months. Makbool Ahmed, 36, from the eastern Indian state of Bihar suffered head injuries and multiple fractures on Nov. 25 last year and was rushed to King Khaled Hospital (KKH) in Al-Khari. His sponsor is neither visiting him nor paying his expenses. He has also not responded to phone calls in an apparent attempt to avoid paying the hospital bills which now exceed SR70.000.
In addition, he has not responded to the Indian Embassy’s letter that asked him to send the worker back to India for medical treatment. “Makbool has been staying unattended in a hospital room while we want to contact his sponsor and are also trying to raise money to pay his hospital bills,” said Zubair Hussain, a relative.
He went to the office of Riyadh Governor Prince Salman yesterday seeking help. Ahmed worked as an electrician and was on duty when the accident occurred. Although he needs additional corrective surgery, there is no one to bear the cost and none of his relatives are here to give their consent for the operation. Ahmed is comatose because of severe head injuries, brain contusions and fractures.
A hospital report said Ahmed had received all needed medication and had gradually improved. Nonetheless he remains in a vegetative state and is in need of physiotherapy. The report recommended immediate “repatriation back to India, where he will be required to undergo lengthy physiotherapy and rehabilitation treatment.”
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