Filipino migrant rights group calls on RP post officials to provide assistance to ailing OFW

An alliance of Filipino migrant rights group in the Middle East today calls on the Philippine Embassy welfare officials to immediately provide the needed assistance to an ailing OFW who has undergone a brain surgical operation last August 24, 2010 in a hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

 

“We are calling the attention of the concerned RP post and welfare officials in Riyadh to immediately provide assistance to OFW Tamano Saltan Ismael, 35 years old, a Maguindanaon, who has recently operated due to spontaneous cerebeller heamatoma,” said John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator.

 

Monterona said based on the medical reports obtained by Eric Jocson, chairperson of the Kapatiran sa Gitnang Silangan (KGS), a member-organization of Migrante based in Riyadh, OFW Tamano has been rushed to King Saud Medical complex on the August 24 after his consciousness level had dropped while blood pressure found to be at 200/120.

 

Subject OFW was immediately given a CT brain scan that revealed large cerebeller heamatoma with midline shift. He has been operated on the same day.

 

A couple of days after his brain operation, the attending neurosurgeon declared that his “condition gradually improved and conscious level becomes better”. The ailing OFW has been transferred to Shumesy hospital and was released on September 16.

 

According to KGS welfare case officers who have visited him, the ailing OFW Tamano is now staying at his employer’s provided accommodation in Riyadh and has been watched by his co-workers and fellow OFWs.

 

“But his condition is not going any better since he has not given proper medication and care staying only at his employer’s provided accommodation; noticeably his health condition already deteriorated,” Monterona observed.

 

Monterona said upon the request of OFW Tamano himself, Migrante-ME and the KGS are calling the attention of Philippine Embassy welfare officials to immediately provide medical assistance to the subject OFW without delay and properly represent him to his employer and demand proper medication and assistance due him.

 

‘We believed, he should be returned and re-confined in the hospital so that he would be given proper medication, care and attention, till he has been fully recovered,” Monterona averred.

 

“We are worried since the DFA’s proposed budget for the assistance to the nationals and legal assistance funds has been cut by the Aquino administration on its 2011 national budget; case like of OFW Tamano and many other similar cases, may not be given the proper assistance, as what is actually happening right now, by the concerned RP post and the DFA. Thus, we are protesting against this illegal budget cut!,” Monterona ended. # # #