Jacaylbaro Posted September 23, 2007 JEDDAH, - The father of a Saudi teenager who had been taken to Cairo for emergency spinal surgery says the hospital now refuses to release his son until he ponies up SR200,000 toward the hospital bill. The name of the hospital was not provided. The man is asking Saudi officials to help get his son out. He says he cannot afford to pay the bill. The Saudi claimed that his 18-year-old son was pushed off a cliff near his hometown of Baljurshee in the southwestern region of the Kingdom, after he fought off a number of men who were attempting to rape him. The fall caused organ damage and severely injured his spine, turning him into a paraplegic. The father said local police later apprehended the suspects. The teen was taken to a local hospital, but it was only able to stabilize his condition. The man said he tried to get his son into a public hospital in Jeddah, but he was put on a long waiting list. Due to financial constraints, the father said he could not afford private care. “We waited 11 days for a bed in any of the hospitals under the Ministry of Health in Jeddah,” said the Saudi, adding that his son ended up in a standard hospital bed at Jeddah’s King Fahd Hospital instead of the intensive care ward. Later, the man said, his son was taken to better facilities at the King Fahd Armed Forces Hospital, but the specialist for spinal injuries had gone abroad. With the help of some benefactors, the Saudi said the youth was taken to a hospital in Cairo that was equipped to treat him. After an emergency surgery, the youth showed considerable improvement. However, he now owes more than SR200,000 to the hospital as the cost of the surgery and other treatment. The unnamed hospital is holding the youth virtually hostage until his father pays the bill. The father said Saudi officials have not intervened in the matter. Arab news Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites