Call on government to help foot treatment bill

Ali Khedri, the captain of the trawler Lorenzo Madre, yesterday appealed to the government to help finance the hospital treatment of Tunisian crewman Mohammed Ali Khalil, 31, who sustained a leg injury in an incident in rough sea yesterday week.

Being a foreigner, Mr Khalil does not qualify for free medical treatment.

Mr Khedri said the first operation on Mr Khalil's leg was carried out on Sunday after Lm1,000 were paid to the hospital authorities on Saturday. More funds are needed to cover hospitalisation costs.

Mr Khedri said he obtained the money after he offered his car as a guarantee that he would pay the amount back in a month's time. Lm500 had already been paid for emergency treatment after Mr Khalil was admitted to hospital. A second operation is to be carried out shortly.

According to Mr Khedri, hospitalisation and post-op care cost Lm110 a day.

The Lorenzo Madre was caught in rough weather last Saturday week after its engine stalled. The vessel was spotted by an Italian military helicopter which airlifted the injured Mr Khalil to hospital.

"Following the payment of the Lm1,000, the hospital authorities appear to have accepted my proposal to pay for post-operation care later, but I simply do not know where I can get the rest of the money," he said.

A spokesman for the Health Ministry said last week that the operations and the hospital stay would cost about Lm4,500.