Court rejects retired father’s medical aid appeal for sick child

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

A retired father with 10 children has lost his appeal for medical help for his son after judges ruled the boy’s illness did not count as a disability. He went to court after authorities refused his request for support.

His son was born with a digestive disorder, and a report from Salmaniya Medical Complex had recommended treatment assistance. A lower court dismissed the case.

Ruling The Court of Appeal has now upheld that ruling.

The man, who is retired and supports two wives and 10 children, said the condition was present since birth and serious enough to justify aid.

He asked for a new medical panel to examine his son, to determine whether the condition could be classed as a disability and to assess how limiting it was.

He also sought to overturn the ruling and recover legal costs.

Condition

But the court found that the condition, though long-term, was manageable.

According to the medical report, symptoms could be controlled by diet and supplements.

Some cases, it noted, may improve with surgery. The judges said the matter was one of illness, not disability.

A disability assessment committee reached the same view.

Its report confirmed the boy suffered from digestive problems, but said the case did not meet the criteria for any recognised disability.

Under the Social Insurance Law, support is given to those who are too young to care for themselves or unable to work due to a medical condition.

They must also lack both a capable provider and another source of income.

Requirements

These requirements must be backed by official medical reports issued by the Ministry of Health.

In this case, the court said those conditions had not been met.

The appeal was dismissed, and the father was ordered to pay the costs.