RIYADH, 5 December 2007 — The hospital expenses of a 67-year-old expatriate worker, who was abandoned at the entrance of the hospital unconscious and with symptoms of chronic diabetes and heart ailments on Oct. 15, was paid by the Indian Embassy.
Dobhi Hanifbhai Bannubhai, who was released from the Somaisi Hospital here following the payment of the bill, is now awaiting his departure to his homeland.
Shihab Kottukad, a social worker attending the case of Bannubhai, thanked the embassy officials for their humanitarian gesture.
Bannubhai, who hails from Sultanpur township of India’s Gujarat province, was found unconscious in front of the hospital. A Saudi physician saw the man and provided him first aid that saved his life.
It, however, remains a mystery who brought the man to the hospital and abandoned him in an unconscious condition.
The embassy initially paid some amount from its welfare fund and gave an undertaking it would pay the remaining amount of the bill to the hospital.
The old man was not covered by health insurance and had no money either to return to his home country.
Bannubhai’s wife is now happy to learn about the news of his recovery, said social workers who looked after the expat. They said that the man would be sent to India within the next two days.
