Migrant worker returns from vacation with flesh-eating bacterial infection

When he first felt a strange pain in his right leg after returning from his vacation in India last month, Amjath Khan thought it was a simple case of gout. 

However, the 42-year-old operations manager soon discovered it was something more sinister when his entire body swelled up and he couldn't breathe.

Amjath, who has been working in Singapore for the past 13 years, had just returned back to Singapore when he discovered that he had contracted the flesh-eating germ through a cut in his skin, said Gary Haris, a grassroots leader at the Federation Of Indian Muslims (FIM) in an interview with AsiaOne on Tuesday (Sept 26).

Haris was alerted to Amjath's case by the migrant workers he works with. 

Amjath had initially gone to a doctor for his leg pain where he was diagnosed with gout, according to Haris. 

The doctor then gave him some medication to treat his symptoms. However, this father-of-two did not see any improvement despite finishing the course of medication. 

On Aug 31, Amjath woke up to find his entire body swollen. Realising he was also struggling to breathe, his roommate called their employer, who advised them to call an ambulance to send Amjath to the hospital.

He was subsequently admitted to Changi General Hospital, where he found out he had been infected by a flesh-eating bacteria known as necrotising fasciitis, said Amjath during a phone interview with Berita Harian. 

While necrotising fasciitis is a potentially fatal infection, it is rarely reported in Singapore.

Hospital documents seen by AsiaOne show that he is currently receiving treatment for an infection. 

By then, the bacteria in his leg had spread to other parts of his body, which caused his severe symptoms. 

Doctors had to remove most of the tissue from his leg to prevent the infection from spreading, said Haris.

"The doctor initially wanted to amputate his leg to save the rest of his body, but he asked the doctor to reconsider. Since the bacteria didn't spread any further, they managed to save his limb," said Haris, who is also an activist for migrant workers. 

'He's always been an active person' 

Amjath's employer has flown his wife and a few other family members to Singapore to help take care of him while he's in hospital, said Haris. 

When asked about how Amjath was feeling, Haris said: "He's feeling quite down, he's always been an active person. During the weekends he likes to exercise, or volunteer at community events. 

"He's been bedridden for three weeks; he tries to get up but he can't stand up or balance himself properly." 

"It's sad that now I can't walk anymore," Amjath said to Berita Harian.

Haris told AsiaOne that Amjath will require treatment for the next six months to a year, including skin grafts and plastic surgery. 

"His medical bills have reached almost $100,000, which exceeds the $15,000 coverage from his company insurance." 

Although plans have been made to send Amjath back to India for further treatment, the trip would cost another $30,000. 

To help cover some of the cost of the medical bills, Haris has been reaching out to migrant worker organisations in Singapore for financial assistance. He's also been raising funds for Amjath on his Facebook page. 

To date, they've managed to raise $5,000. 

READ ALSO: 'They don't deserve this': Netizens appalled by photos showing migrant worker working in sewer pipe

claudiatan@asiaone.com

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