DUBAI // The parents of a premature baby are appealing for help to pay a hospital bill that has reached Dh75,000 and is increasing by the day.
At the start of this month, Meghna Walia Sethi, 32, an Indian, was admitted to Latifa Hospital because her blood pressure was high and her unborn child’s heart rate was low.
Doctors decided to undertake an emergency Caesarean operation and the daughter, Safit, was born 12 weeks premature.
She weighed only 730 grams and has since been kept in the neonatal intensive care unit.
“I received a panic call at around midnight on June 1 and the doctor told me that a Caesarean was required or I could lose my wife and child,” said her father Balmeet Singh Sethi, 39, who earns Dh10,000 a month working for an IT firm.
The emergency Caesarean saved the lives of mother and child but now the parents say they cannot afford the Dh75,000 bill, which is rising each day the child is in hospital.
The charges for the neonatal intensive-care unit average at Dh4,000 a day.
Doctors have told Mr Sethi that his daughter could require another four to six weeks of treatment as she needs to gain another kilogram before she can be moved out.
The premature child also has a heart condition that requires medication.
“If the medication does not help, Safit might need surgery,” said Mr Sethi.
“The doctors started medication a day or two ago. The surgery would have an additional cost. I can only ask people to help.”
Mrs Sethi has also had to return to the hospital as she has had high blood pressure.
Her husband has paid nearly Dh28,000 of the bill for his wife and daughter with the help of his friends and family.
“Everybody contributed, including my parents and even my neighbours. They have all been so supportive,” said Mr Sethi.
His company health insurance has covered Dh15,000 of the bill but the infant’s treatment is not covered.
“I am struggling to pay the bills for my child and would appreciate any assistance,” said Mr Sethi, who is the sole breadwinner in the family.
Mrs Sethi said: “The operation saved me and my baby but my husband is now under so much stress to pay the bill.
“My daughter was severely underweight and she was taking just a little breast milk.
“She is stable but the doctors are waiting for her weight to increase.
“The NICU bills are extremely high and my husband is the only earning member at home. We would request for people to help us.”
A spokeswoman for the Dubai Health Authority said: “Our social workers are trying to help raise funds for the couple by contacting charities.”
We have also informed the DHA’s Moussadah (assistance) committee, which helps raise funds for families who have financial constraints and cannot afford medical treatment.”
Anyone wishing to help the family should contact Latifa Hospital.
arizvi2@thenational.ae
*This article has been amended to add a statement from the Dubai Health Authority.
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