RIYADH, 5 April 2006 — Amir Alam, whose left hand was amputated following an industrial accident a few weeks ago, has been deserted by his employer.
Alam, who is now seeking help from his community, was working on a machine when his left hand was suddenly caught in a pulley belt and badly crushed, leading to amputation at the Kharj-based King Khaled Hospital, some 60 kilometers from Riyadh.
“I am dying every day; now I am a helpless man, jobless and handicapped without a single riyal in my hands,” said Alam, an Indian national.
Alam is the eldest of 10 brothers and sisters in a poor family which largely depends on his earnings. He said that he was now physically fit, but no one wanted to hire him because of his disability.
This expatriate worker, who holds a transferable iqama, is seeking job and also some financial help for buying an artificial limb.
Alam explained his situation to Arab News and said that he is in urgent need of SR13,000 for buying an artificial hand.
“But, I know, it is beyond my reach,” he said, with tears in his eyes.
A prosthetic hand usually attached by suction and/or form fitting can be of great help in his case. Alam’s sponsor has failed to respond to the tragedy.
