Nasir Al-Ghashaam, a Saudi student who is studying in the US on a government scholarship, has been admitted to hospital after suffering a stroke. His father has urged the Saudi authorities to interfere in his son’s case to allow him finish his medical therapy treatment in the US hospital after the hospital threatened to discharge him over financial claims.

The call of Al-Ghashaam’s father coincided with the launch of a hashtag, #save_sholarship_student_Nasir_Alghasaam, on Twitter. It calls on US authorities to take the necessary measures to solve the problem of Al-Ghashaam, whose insurance might be stopped and who could be transferred to a cheaper hospital. 

Saleh Abdullah Al-Ghashaam, the father, said his son is a scholarship student studying chemical engineering in Knoxville University. He suffered a stroke three months ago, just two weeks before his graduation. He was taken to Vanderbilt Hospital. Because of his lengthy treatment, the insurance company asked for his transfer to a lower grade hospital to cut down on expenses.

His insurance was stopped and he was transferred to another hospital, but he was taken back to Vanderbilt. Now the insurance company is exerting pressure to get him out of hospital after his condition started to improve and he started to recognize those around him, the father said. 

The father added that the Saudi Embassy sent his son's medical records to the Ministry of Health and demanded that his treatment be resumed in the United States after he responded to treatment.

The father entreated authorities to speed up the approval of his treatment especially after the insurance company threatened to stop covering his son’s medical expenses and annul his medical insurance.

Many on Twitter lent their support to Nasir's father through the hashtag and called on authorities to solve the problem of the student.

Abdullah said in a tweet: "God entrusted guardians with those people, who have no one else but you." M. Sami said: "Nasir is the embassy's responsibility now". 

Faisal Al-Thubaiti said: "It is our duty to protect our homeland, and it's the nation's duty to stand by its children."

Faisal Al-Talhi and others called for a speedy intervention by officials. Ali Al-Hajouri said: "I have just called the Saudi Consulate in New York and they asked for all information to end Nasir's problem."