A private hospital here is refusing to discharge a 56-year-old Moroccan female pilgrim until she pays SR212,000 for 40 days of treatment. The patient, Al-Zahra Saleh Potchi, claims that her costs are covered by the Saudi government, but the hospital claims it did not receive any order from the Haj or Health ministries approving the treatment. She was transferred to the private hospital by the Saudi Red Crescent a few hours before she would have departed for Morocco after the Haj. Potchi told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that she had fainted at the airport because of a severe infection and high blood pressure. She was referred to the health center of the Pilgrims City at King Abdul Aziz International Airport. “Following medical investigations, they decided to refer me to a public hospital but due to a lack of beds, I was transferred to the nearest private hospital. The Ministry of Haj sent a letter to the hospital to provide me with the necessary treatment as per regulations applicable to pilgrims.” Although she recovered, the hospital administration refused to discharge her and pressured her to pay them SR212,000. The hospital claimed that it had not received any official letters from the ministries of Health and Haj to offer her free medical care. Dr. Abdullah Mirghalani, Director of the Ministry of Haj's branch in Jeddah, told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that the Consulate General of Morocco received the pilgrim's complaint and sent it to the Ministry of Haj. She has demanded that the Jeddah Health Affairs pay her treatment costs so that she could go home. Haj Mustafa, her husband, said that he has been living on charity for the past 40 days because the hospital has not helped him. Dr. Sami Badawood, Jeddah Health Affairs Director, blamed the private hospital for not informing the Jeddah Health Affairs of the patient's case. Badawood has asked the private hospital to send him a detailed report about the patient. “As for the treatment the patient received after she was no longer in a critical condition, the costs will have to be borne by the private hospital because it only informed Jeddah Health Affairs of the case after 40 days.” __
