Paralysed Briton flies to Lanka

Rebecca Torr

Paralysed Briton Mohammed Abdul Aziz left Bahrain for Sri Lanka for treatment to help ease unbearable pain in his spine and hopefully help him regain the use of his limbs.

His flight was paid for by two Bahraini societies following an appeal to get him vital medical treatment.

The 67-year-old, who had worked in Bahrain for more than 20 years, had been admitted to the Salmaniya Medical Complex since September, following a stroke caused by nerve compression in his spine.

Last month his condition deteriorated, leaving him paralysed from the waist down and without full use of his arms.

Doctors and friends feared that he could die without surgery and specialist follow-up treatment available in the UK.

However, because he had been a resident in Bahrain for so many years, he was not entitled to treatment under the UK's National Health Service. The National Spinal Injuries Centre, Stoke Mandeville Hospital, UK, where Abdul Aziz hoped to be treated, said he could be admitted as a private patient providing he paid a deposit of Pounds 110,000.

Unfortunately, Abdul Aziz had used all his savings on supporting him and his Sri Lankan wife Miriam when he fell ill a year ago and had to stop work as general manager of Silver Aluminium. When the door closed on treatment in the UK, the couple took the decision for Abdul Aziz to have Ayurvedic treatment in Sri Lanka, where he will be with his family. He has only one sister left in the UK.

"I have mixed feelings about leaving, I am sad to leave Bahrain because I have been here for 25 years, but I'm happy to go because I want to see him better," Miriam told Gulf Daily News before she left. "He has deteriorated over the last couple of weeks and I just want to get him the help he needs.

"He will have homeopathic medicine, my brother was paralysed and he had the same treatment and he is now walking, so hopefully Mohammed will feel better."

The Liverpool-born patient had to travel to Sri Lanka in a stretcher and the flights for him and his wife cost BD2,900. The Royal Society of St George donated BD1,000 and Discover Islam covered the rest.

A Bahraini businessman previously donated BD500 to cover the couple's immediate living costs and other expenses.

Abdul Aziz was taken directly from the Bandaranaike International Airport to the Ayurvedic Teaching Hospital, Borella, upon his arrival.

His stay and treatment will cost more than BD300 per month and the couple are still not sure how they will cover the amount, but are hoping that more donations will come in. "We are very grateful for all the people who supported us spiritually, mentally, emotionally and financially," Miriam said.

"This has given us hope and I'm positive we are doing the right thing because we will have family to support us and they are waiting for me and Mohammed to come."

Abdul Aziz, formerly John Montgomery Davies, converted to Islam in 1986 after moving to Bahrain. Discover Islam has launched a fund on behalf of the couple and people can donate by contacting Mohammed Zuhair on 17537373.

Gulf Daily News