Abu Dhabi: A patient weighing about 400kg has been flown to a Riyadh hospital for treatment in Saudi Arabia, local media reported.
A Saudi emergency team has flown Mansour Al Sharari, 40, weighing over 400kg to King Khaled Hospital in the Saudi capital for treatment, according to Al Ekhbariya TV.
Al Sharari’s family had sought to admit him to the hospital due to difficulties in mobility, it said.
Al Sharari recently appeared in a video clip in a critical condition, as he explained his suffering with obesity.
In response to the request, a team from the Emergency, Disaster Management and Ambulatory Transport Directorate in the Riyadh Health Service was formed to handle the case.
The team along with a well-equipped aircraft for transporting overweight people flew the patient in coordination with the King Khaled Hospital in Riyadh.
The Saudi Health Council, a state agency, has cited a link between obesity and the coronavirus infection, with obese people being susceptible to COVID-19 by 47 per cent compared to others.
A national study, published in March, entitled: “Obesity in Saudi Arabia in 2020: Prevalence, Distribution, and Its Current Association with Various Health Conditions” concluded that although obesity shows a decreasing trend in Saudi Arabia, almost one-quarter of the study’s sample were obese.
It said obesity is currently associated with many health conditions that can affect an individuals’ quality of life and create an economic burden on the country. “This evidence highlights the need for action to focus more on obesity in Saudi Arabia.” the study said.
