By Abdul Karim Al-Dhiyabi

Okaz/Saudi Gazette

TAIF — The residents of Al-Khurma have refuted the statements by the Department of Health Affairs in Taif denying the presence of meningitis cases in the town and said the fatal disease was spreading in the governorate.

A number of residents said some meningitis patients slipped into coma and were kept in isolation wards.

They criticized substandard response by staff at the Khurma Hospital, which they said had no resources to treat rising cases from an epidemic.

Majed Bin Jarwah, a resident, said his 43-year-old sister started complaining of severe headache and high fever but the doctor who treated her at the hospital diagnosed her case as common flu.

“My sister came again to the hospital with the same symptoms but the doctor said this time her case was serious and she had a nervous breakdown,” he said.

Jarwah said when his sister became comatose, the doctor consulted specialists in Taif General Hospital, who asked him to transfer her there.

“My sister was on the verge of death when she was admitted to the intensive care unit and her health condition deteriorated further,” he explained.

He said a week later his sister regained consciousness after meningitis had almost took her life.

Jarwah said this was sufficient evidence about the existence of meningitis in Al-Khurma despite the denial by the Health Affairs.

Nasser Al-Subaie said his nephew Khaled was admitted to the General Hospital in Taif after the lab tests proved that he was suffering from meningitis.

He said the child was kept in the hospital for a few weeks before he was discharged.

Miteb Rabbah Al-Subaie said his daughter Deem contracted the disease after she visited a sick relative in Al-Khurma Hospital.

He said when they returned to Riyadh, his daughter started showing symptoms of meningitis including high fever and vomiting.

“My daughter was admitted to Al-Yamamah Hospital in Riyadh where she was treated for meningitis, which she had contracted in Al-Khurma,” he said.

Mutlaq Al-Mihaim strongly questioned the modest potential of Al-Khurma Hospital and the poor condition of its lab.

“This is the reason behind the increasing cases of meningitis in the town,” he wrote on Twitter.

Mohammed Bin Saud Al-Rishoud was surprised by the denial of the Taif Health Affairs that there were no cases of meningitis in Al-Khurma.

“I know two cases that are now treated for meningitis in my village of Al-Sulaimah,” he said.

Abdullah Jazi Bin Jiraibah said the problem lies in the continuous assertion by the Taif Health Affairs that there were no cases of meningitis in Al-Khurma.

“Instead of this denial, the department should admit the problem and try to find solutions for it,” he said.

Muslah Rabih Al-Subaie, deputy chairman of Al-Khurma municipal council, said there were three confirmed cases of meningitis, of which two were admitted to the general hospital in Taif.

“I wonder why the Health Affairs is denying the presence of meningitis in Al-Khurma though it is very much there,” he said.

Residents refute claims by officials, criticize hospital staff for substandard response