Up to ’80,000 to bring 6-year-old Younes back from Egypt: Italy intervenes
The medical repatriation of Younes, 6, who was hospitalized in critical condition in Sharm el-Sheikh, could have cost his family of Moroccan origin up to 80,000 euros. Following a major mobilization, Italy has decided to intervene and is now preparing his return to Turin.
The Majidi family’s holiday in Egypt took a turn from the very first day. On August 3, Younes, aged 6 and a half, was playing in his hotel’s swimming pool in Sharm el-Sheikh when he was found unconscious. The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicates that the child suffered cardiac arrest following a drowning.
Since then, Younes has been hospitalized in critical condition in intensive care at Piramide International Hospital in Sharm el-Sheikh. The child is of Italian nationality and Moroccan origin. His father, Kamal Majidi, and his uncle, Mounssif Rafia, are also of Moroccan origin and Italian nationality.
On Bladi.net : article 122383
Another problem was quickly added to the medical emergency: the cost of returning to Italy. The family did not have insurance covering such an operation. On August 25, his father explained to La Repubblica that a medical flight was estimated to cost between 60,000 and 80,000 euros.
Expenses were also mounting in Egypt. According to the Italian daily, the hospital bill had already reached around 20,000 dollars. Faced with the situation, relatives launched a fundraiser to finance the repatriation.
The mobilization was massive. On August 26, around 1,000 people had already donated 40,000 euros. On Monday evening, the GoFundMe fundraiser was showing more than 89,000 euros raised through approximately 2,600 donations, with the target increased to 90,000 euros.
Rome is now organizing his return
In the meantime, the situation was resolved on the Italian authorities’ side. Following a new MRI, the doctors treating Younes in Egypt and their Italian counterparts determined that the child could now be transported by plane.
Regina Margherita Children’s Hospital in Turin declared itself ready to take him in. The Italian Embassy in Cairo is now coordinating the procedures between the facility in Sharm el-Sheikh, the Turin hospital, the foundation responsible for organizing the medical repatriation, and the airport authorities.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani is personally following the case with the embassy and the president of the Piedmont region, Alberto Cirio. Rome also announced that its embassy would cover part of the medical expenses incurred by the family in Egypt.
On Bladi.net : article 115318
Younes is also registered with the youth teams of the futsal club L84 Torino. The Italian five-a-side football division also mobilized to promote the fundraiser organized to bring him back to Italy.