Dubai: A man who has lived in Dubai for more than 40 years is to be deported because he has tuberculosis (TB) scars on his lungs.
The 61-year-old Indian man is being held in quarantine at Al Muhaisnah medical centre. The TB scars showed up when he went for his medical test to get a new residency visa.
Akbar Ali has worked for a cargo company in Dubai for the past 40 years but after it closed he decided to open his own company.
He told Gulf News: “I have been living here since 1970 and all my life I’ve been working legally with a valid residency visa and I have been for a medical check-up for visa requirements many times,” he said.
Ali, whose son and daughter were born here, said he cancelled his and his family’s residency visas last month and went to India for five days in order to enter on a new visa.
“When I applied for an investor visa in Dubai it was approved and I went to have my medical check-up at Karama medical centre and it was approved after a few days.
He said the medical check-up for a new residency visa required an X-ray for TB.
“I was told to collect the medical report from Al Muhaisnah medical centre,” he said.
He said that he was told that he was suspected of having TB scars.
“I was told that I may have old TB but I was issued the medical fitness certificate which proved that I’m fit to be issued a residency visa,” he added.
His residency visa was approved and stamped in his passport on Monday.
He said that on Thursday morning he received a call from Al Muhaisnah medical centre.
“I went to the medical centre and doctors made me give a blood test again and I was also asked to cough in order to give a TB test,” he said.
Ali said that he was detained by the security guard at the centre and taken into quarantine without any explanation.
“I tried to tell the doctor that I had my visa stamped and that a fitness certificate had been issued from the same centre,” he said.
He said that he told the doctor that he has been living here for the past 40 years and that he has only left the country for a few days each year.
“The doctors said that I have old scars on my lungs and that they suspect I had TB when I was born,” he said.
Ali said that his wife and daughter are back in India waiting for their visas to be issued.
“I have no clue what is going on, I went for several medical check-ups and I’m fit and healthy. Why are they detaining me here with a man who is suffering from HIV and another one suffering from hepatitis,” he said.
He said it is Ramadan and he is fasting.
“I do not know what to do and what will happen to me. I have lived here most of my life and now I’ve ended up in this situation for no reason,” said Ali.
A doctor at Al Muhaisnah clinic told Gulf News that Ali is suspected of having TB scars and he will stay in quarantine until he is deported.
The doctor did not comment on why the same centre who issued a fitness medical certificate to Ali a few days ago is now detaining him for having TB scars.
