Maltese woman in Cambodia in heartfelt plea for help for ailing partner

A Maltese woman living in Cambodia is asking for help for her sick partner after their health insurer have refused to fund the required medical treatment.

Alana Castillo Fonseca, a Maltese national, said her partner of 12 years, Anthony Ruaridh Massena Igoe - a UK national - is suffering from a serious bacterial chest condition and risks losing a lung.

Castillo Fonseca is now faced with an insurer which refuses to cover the needed costly treatment, which will require a long hospital stay in Cambodia.

The cost of the treatment until 24 May will be of over $26,600, according to a photo of the hospital's estimated bill which she has posted.

Castillo Fonseca has started a crowdfunding appeal on GoFundMe to help cover the needed costs.

In the day since starting a GoFundMe page, she has raised £4,924 of the £20,000 her partner will need.

Massena Igoe has been diagnosed with haemophilus pneumonia and an abscess in his lung caused by a bacterium that causes melioidosis.

"In short, a co-infection of two bacterial-types are attacking his lungs," Castillo Fonseca said on the funding page.

"Now the main concern is the abscess in his lung, this will take a minimum of a three-week stay in hospital for the intravenous antibiotic Meropenem to be administered three times a day for three hours, and not to mention antibiotic pills to try and kill the bacteria."

The woman's partner is also unable to travel to his home country, Scotland, since a flight would worsen the abscess.

Massena Igoe's hospital bill till 24 May will be of over $26,600

Massena Igoe has first fallen ill in January, but was initially given the all-clear by doctors after hospital tests, and told to take antibiotics and rest for a few days.

In February and March, the man - who previously never had any health issues - felt fine.

It was only this month that he fell ill again, and his worrying condition was diagnosed at the hospital.

The couple's insurer, Cigna Global, have denied all claims, insisting that Massena Igoe had been ill since January. The insurer maintains his condition had been hidden from the company when the insurance was taken out in February.

Castillo Fonseca, however, said that there was no indication when the insurance was taken out that her partner was in any way unwell.

Despite this, the insurer has not relented and will not cover their costs.

Other sources she has turned to for help, including an embassy, have refrained from getting involved.

"While we await more excuses from Cigna, my partner has to limit his treatment because we cannot afford it. If they had warned me in March, I would have sent him home to Scotland, I would have done things differently," Castillo Fonseca said.

"Please I implore someone, anyone to help us during these times... The love of my life is dying and there is nothing I can do besides ask people for help. So this is what I will do."

Anyone who wishes to give a donation to help the couple can do so by visiting this GoFundMe page.