Dr. Siham Al-Fraih, President of the National Society for the Protection of Child Rights, has emphatically asserted that the recent publication in Al-Qabas daily Tuesday issue titled “270 Forgotten Patients in Hospital Wards” demands earnest attention and should not be overlooked.
She stressed the critical need for decisive action, particularly given that a number of these individuals require medical care within healthcare facilities.
Dr Al-Fraih emphasized the humanitarian obligation to restore these cases to their former homes, alongside their families who offer love and compassion and highlighted the urgency of addressing the cases concerning individuals with special needs in hospital settings promptly. It’s worth noting that their families receive financial support, yet the patients remain vulnerable to neglect and oversight.
Dr Al-Fraih further expressed deep sorrow over the presence of neglected children in these hospitals, some of whom were abandoned immediately after birth. This tragic reality deprives them of their fundamental rights – a stable and secure family environment and access to education.
This extends to children as old as eight or ten who struggle with reading and writing. The “association” has repeatedly appealed to various entities to engage with the Ministries of Health and Social Affairs, urging them to devise effective solutions for this marginalized group.
Highlighting the urgency, Dr Al-Fraih stressed the responsibility of the civic authorities to prompt relevant official government bodies into action. The families of these patients have knowingly neglected their responsibilities, leaving the patients, parents, and children exposed to neglect and deprivation.
She underscored the necessity of engaging with the embassies representing the expatriate patients in the country’s hospitals. By initiating communication, they can affirm their commitment to not abandon their citizens within public hospitals and actively work towards their repatriation.
Dr Al-Fraih emphasized the importance of official intervention by government agencies with the patients’ families. This is particularly pertinent since the Ministry of Health covers their treatment expenses. The process should involve expediting the reintegration of these forgotten patients or collaborating with their embassies to repatriate expatriates from this vulnerable segment and underscored the need for psychological and humanitarian care for most of these cases, especially after prolonged recovery periods.
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