British backpacker fighting for his life in India as doctors delay treatment over travel insurance

Mumbai in India, where Sean Connolly is being treated at a private hospital. PA

A British backpacker is fighting for his life in India after he was found unconscious by the side of a road and suffered brain damage when doctors delayed his treatment because they were unsure if he had medical insurance.

According to the Daily Mail, Sean Connolly was taken to a hospital in Mumbai after he was discovered 'out cold' in the street a day after he arrived in India for a two-week backpacking holiday.

He was found lying on the ground in a vest, shorts and flip flops by two friends, but it is unclear how he lost consciousness.

Mr Connolly was refused treatment for two days at a public hospital unless doctors were paid as his travel insurance documents could not be found.

The 26-year-old's friends had to buy medication from a pharmacy and take it to the hospital so he could be treated.

Delaying his treatment caused brain damage and he has developed a fever on the brain, which means he needs to be flown back to the UK for urgent treatment.

His friend and housemate Dean Jarvis, 25, told the Daily Mail: 'Sean went travelling around the world last year but missed out India so he was desperate to go back.

'Before he went he was having panic attacks every now and again so he could have had an episode and collapsed in the street.

'But we can't be sure because Sean can't tell us what happened.'

Sean's father Martin Connolly has flown to India to be by his son's side and has moved him to a private hospital costing £1,000 a day in treatment.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: 'We are in contact with his next of kin and the hospital authorities, and are providing consular assistance.

'We recommend that anyone thinking of travelling to India reads through the comprehensive advice on our website.'

A fundraising page has been set up for Sean and has attracted over 25,000 donors who have raised more than £11,000 to help pay for his treatment.

Friends have been sharing the Help Sean Connolly page on Facebook and Twitter and DJ Seth Troxler has joined the bid to raise the £30,000 needed to pay for an emergency flight to get Sean back to the UK.

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