JEDDAH, 30 August 2003 — Saudi authorities have decided to deport a 19-year-old African AIDS patient within the next two days, Al-Watan reported yesterday. Muhammad Baba was readmitted to the Meeqat Hospital in Madinah after he had run away from the facility last week.
He said he was following up developments in an English language newspaper after his escape from the hospital. “For the past six days I stayed in the Prophet’s Mosque while security officers were busy searching for me outside,” he told the Arabic daily.
Police arrested Baba while he was strolling through the market place around the mosque on Wednesday night. “I was called by a police officer while roaming around the market. I tried to run away from him, but the security officers were able to catch me in no time,” he said. Baba said he did not mix with people after he fled the hospital. “I did not want to cause any harm to the health of others. I did not visit any restaurants and ate my meals alone,” he said. Baba had come to the Kingdom for Umrah. According to Al-Watan, Baba was aware that he was HIV positive before coming to the Kingdom.
