Saudi Gazette report
MADINAH – The Health Affairs responded to social upheaval about a girl in critical health in condition and in need of urgent medical attention despite the parents’ inability to cover her treatment financially.
A picture of a non-Saudi girl in need of medical treatment went viral on social media last week after her parents posted the picture asking for financial support to treat her. The girl had pancreatitis and her treatment costs SR480 a day. The girl was kept in Madinah Childbirth Hospital and the doctors said the girl is in need of intensive medical care for two weeks straight.
The parents were asking viewers of their post to help them financially. Social media users reacted to the post demanding that the Health Affairs Directorate covers the expenses of the girl’s treatment.
Madinah Health Affairs Directorate clarified that it has responded to the social media users’ demands and has given the girl the treatment she needed. But her condition was too critical and her health was worsening with time. The girl passed away despite the treatment she received.
The directorate also clarified that each and every hospital has a social services department that is responsible for helping any patient at the hospital and ensuring that the obstacles the patient has to complete his treatment, especially medical ones, are mitigated.
The directorate also reported the cost of treatment of the girl in question did not exceed SR5,000. Her case was forwarded to the social services department for her financial issues to be resolved. However, her family and friends took the initiative to post her picture on social media and ask the general public for financial aid. A great number of people came to visit the girl and her family without communicating with the hospital on how they can help the case.
The directorate added anyone who is concerned about any of the patients in a hospital should contact the hospital’s department of social services and the department of patients’ relations to know how they can best help.
