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29 March 2024

Heart patient kicked out of ICU in Saudi Arabia

Ali Faqeeh was thrown out of the ICU by the hospital in Makkah although he is suffering from heart problems. (SUPPLIED)

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By Staff

A major private hospital in Saudi Arabia is facing legal action after it was accused of kicking a heart patient out of its intensive care unit (ICU) because of his soaring treatment bill, Shams Arabic language daily reported on Saturday.

The hospital in Makkah removed support systems from Ali Faqeeh, an Arab expatriate, and threw him out of the ICU although he is suffering from heart problems and had a myocardial infarction three times at the hospital, it said.

The hospital used a mobile phone text message to inform relatives about the expulsion of the patient, who is in his 60s, and told them to come and collect him.

The relatives found the man in a bad condition lying at the entrance of the emergency section near the hospital toilets, the paper said.

“The hospital told them that the insurance company notified the management that it would not pay his treatment bill after it reached SR250,000 during his three-month stay,” the paper said, citing a family member.

It quoted Faeq Hussein, spokesman for the Makkah Health Directorate, as saying the hospital faces severe punishment if it is indicted.

“There is no compromise on the life of patients. The Health Ministry’s instructions are very clear and frank… we will not accept any act that could unnecessarily result in the death of an innocent person,” he said.