Paralysed Indian stuck in Dubai hospital over unpaid bills

An Indian, who became partially paralysed after a stroke, has been stuck at a hospital here for the past four months as his estranged family has refused to foot the medical bill of around USD 27,000.
Maxwell Donald Pereira, 56, who has been in Dubai since 1978 and worked in the hospitality sector, suffered a life-threatening stroke on January 17 that left him immovable.
His medical expenses amount to Dh100,000 (about USD 27,000), Gulf News reported.
Pereira, who was supervisor of a club, had undergone a life-saving brain surgery at a hospital here but his sponsor disappeared later.
Surgeons had to remove a bone flap from his cranium, which now needs to be surgically replaced.

Pereira's condition has stabilised since then although he cannot walk. The doctors have deemed him fit to travel to India accompanied by a nurse.

Pereira needs a special helmet to encase his fragile head, and the bone flap that has been removed needs to be taken in a special container at a constant temperature of -60 degree. All of this, and tickets, would cost him around Dh40,000.
"I want to go home, I want to see my mum," Pereira was quoted as saying in the report.
Pereira's estranged wife and his 22-year-old son have refused to take his responsibility. His elderly mother has called several friends for help, according to the report.

Manish Shigwan, a former cashier at the club and Pereira's colleague, said that the visas of all the employees had been cancelled but they had not received salaries for the past two months and had no money to travel back home.