Two Saudi boys who together weigh more than 1.4 tonnes

Two Saudi boys are suffering from severe obesity due to health problems that have pushed their combined weight to more than 1.4 tonnes, almost the weight of a small car.

Khaled Mohsen Al Shaeri, from the southern province of Jazan, is believed to be around 810 kg after a rapid and steady rise in his weight over the past year.

Khaled Mohsen Al Shaeri

Another boy, Mohammed Abdullah Al Harthi, is around 600 kg and he hopes to lose weight when he is admitted to a specialized hospital in the Gulf Kingdom for treatment.

A five-man medical committee visited Shaeri at his home this week and assured him that a special bed bought from the United States five months ago to move him to hospital will arrive within the next few days.

“The committee examined Shaeri and reassured him he would be moved to King Fahd Hospital in Riyadh for treatment soon,” Sabq newspaper said.

Mohammed Abdullah Al Harthi

The Arabic language daily said King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia ordered urgent measures early this year to treat Shaeri at King Fahd Hospital but officials said they have been unable to move him out of his house.

Civil defence units called in early this year pondered demolishing part of the house but the idea did not work in the absence of proper medical equipment to carry him.

“Health officials said they have ordered a special bed and a crane to move him to the hospital…but only the crane has arrived while we are still waiting for the bed,” said Nassir Makeen, a relative of Shaeri.

In the western Saudi town of Taif, Al Harithi has been confined to his house for a long period of time because of overweight.

“Al Harthi faces “breathing and walking” difficulty, which forced him to stay in bend most of the time at his home,” Sabq said.

“He hopes he would get treatment at King Fahd Hospital in Riyadh…he was given an appointment next month but later received a call telling him the appointment has been postponed indefinitely,” the paper said without specifying his age

It said the postponement has promoted his family to appeal for Saudi health minister Abdullah Al Rabeia to intervene so he will receive urgent treatment.

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