Saudi Gazette report

ABHA – In a unique humanitarian gesture, Ministry of Health (MoH) arranged an air ambulance to ensure no disruption in the periodic consultation of a girl child suffering from brain atrophy. The ministry's action came as there are travel restrictions due to the coronavirus lockdown.

Ibtihal Al-Hassan Khobrani returned to Abha on board the air ambulance on Monday after completing her consultation at Sultan City for Humanitarian Services in Riyadh. Two days ago, the ministry operated a special aircraft with medical crew to transport the child and her family from Abha to Riyadh and brought them back in the special flight after completion of the follow-up consultation.

Al-Hassan Ali Khobrani has no words to express his profound gratitude to MoH for undertaking such a great mission to ensure proper treatment for his daughter. “My daughter had an appointment at the Sultan City and therefore I had contacted a week ago with MoH to inquire about the method of obtaining movement permit and the chances of changing the appointment date, in light of the current coronavirus crisis. I explained the inability to travel by road due to the long distance and the health condition of the child,” he said.

Khobrani said that the ministry officials eventually contacted him, asking the girl’s data. “Within a few hours of furnishing the details, the ministry officials contacted me and informed that a plane with medical staff would come to transport her with her family to Riyadh, and then return them to Asir after the completion of the routine checkup.

The matter did not stop here as the ministry officials continued contacting with me on a daily basis until we boarded the plane on Saturday,” he said.

The child’s father noted that she was transported in an ambulance to the airport. “Medical tests have also been carried out for me, wife and child to ensure that we are not infected with coronavirus,” he added