In praise of Moroccan doctors

Recently an English visitor became gravely ill with what looked like food poisoning. It was not. In a matter of hours his condition became far worse to the point where later doctors said he was three minutes from death. The prompt action and accurate diagnosis as well as a marathon race to get him to hospital, saved his life. It is worth reflecting that in a lot of so-called developed countries he could well have died while waiting for medical assistance. Here is David's story, told by his brother Andrew.

Having spent many a day in Fez not being able to stray to far from a loo, it was no surprise to me when my brother David and myself went down with a bout of diarrhoea.

Take nothing, that‘s the best way to beat the dreaded illness, just liquids. On the second day David’s sickness developed into vomiting and mine started to ease off.

We where all due to fly back to England the following day and it was decided that my wife Ann Marie would stay and take care of David with my younger brother Mark and then catch the Saturday flight home, but no sooner had my daughter and I left when it all took a turn for the worse.

David decided it was time to get up and this was when things started to go wrong. David’s body started to close down and the family doctor of our manager Hicham at Dar Iman was called and arrived in minutes, promptly diagnosing David on the spot as having full blown diabetes and saying that he needed to be taken to hospital straight away.

David was being carried down the stairs when he started to loose his pulse and go into coma. Again the doctor was at David’s side and manage to keep him awake. He was rushed to hospital where he was given 12 bags of saline and several doses of insulin which he now has to take for the rest off is life.

He was within minutes of death and was saved by a doctor who he didn’t have to wait hours for and was treated in hospital really well. They could not do enough for him and all for 11,000 dirhams. David had not taken out insurance - a lesson to all.

I feel that if this had happened in the UK David would not be with us now. So on behalf of my family I wish to thank all those involved with David’s recovery and saving his life.

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news