UAE: Expat nurse dies in Abu Dhabi; tributes pour in on social media

She flew in from the Philippines and started her job at a home care company in August this year

Angel Tesorero

Published: Thu 10 Oct 2024, 1:19 PM

Last updated: Thu 10 Oct 2024, 4:48 PM

A Filipina nurse, who arrived in Abu Dhabi just a couple of months ago, died in a car accident on Sunday, her employer told Khaleej Times.

The Philippine Embassy confirmed the expat's death and said authorities have been in touch with her family.

“Our Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Abu Dhabi is working on the case and we are talking to the family," the mission told Khaleej Times on Thursday, without revealing more details about the circumstances of her death.

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The 32-year-old expat flew in last August and started her job at Al Raiaa Home Health Care, an HR officer of the company said.

"She was able to finish her shift from morning until afternoon on Saturday, but that was our last contact with her," the HR-in-charge said.

"She was supposed to be on duty on Sunday but when we tried calling her, she wasn't picking up. We reached out to her accommodation, friends, but we couldn't get hold of her," he added.

On Monday, the home care company was informed that she passed away in a car accident on Sunday night, the HR officer said, adding that necessary paperwork has already been completed.

Request for details

The nurse’s husband who is in Nueva Vizcaya, a province in northern Philippines, spoke to Khaleej Times on Thursday. He said he was contacted by officials from the Philippine Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) who pledged to extend financial assistance to the family.

He added: “I’ve also spoken to the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi and I’ve requested to see the CCTV footage when my wife left her accommodation and the footage or pictures of the vehicular accident.”

The husband said his wife’s company is arranging for his visa and plane tickets so he can come to the UAE at the earliest next week.

The Filipina nurse, who previously worked in Saudi Arabia before coming to the UAE, left behind two young children: a 12-year-old son and a seven-year-old daughter. She would have turned 33 on December 11, the husband added.

Tributes pour in

Condolences have poured in on social media, particularly on community groups for Filipino nurses in the UAE.

"Her saddened and heartbreaking death has left us devastated," Esmer Pariñas wrote on a group.

"I am still in shock ...First of, I know you are now in better place now. I just wanted to let you know, that I love you. You were one of my closest cousins," wrote a Facebook user named Sherman Gamboa. "Gone too soon," Robert Joe Sagum added.

Ronald Gamiao, president of Filipino Nurses Association in Emirates, said: “We are saddened by the loss of our fellow nurse in Abu Dhabi. Our deepest condolences to her family. We were able to reach out to our MWO in Abu Dhabi, and they are handling this matter. Her company had coordinated also with our government.”

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