UAE health experts await arrival of world's heaviest woman

An army of medical experts from Burjeel are all prepared to receive the world's heaviest woman when she arrives from Mumbai to Abu Dhabi on Thursday evening.

Dr Shajir Gaffar, CEO of VPS Healthcare, Dubai and Northern Emirates and Burjeel Hospital for Advanced Surgery, who flew from the UAE capital to Mumbai to accompany the patient, told Khaleej Times that the hospital is ready and well-prepared for Eman Abdul Atti, who will be medically evacuated on a special Airbus.

"At present, we have a team of 15 members of multi-disciplinary approach we are providing for the patient."

"We have aviation doctors, paramedics, logistics support, nurses, they are all on ground here, (Mumbai), for her safe medical transportation tomorrow to the airport from Saifee Hospital."
Infographic: Eman's journey from Mumbai to Abu Dhabi

"Inside the flight there will be five experts accompanying her, including doctors, aviation medicine doctor, senior flight paramedic inside the aircraft.

The 36-year-old Egyptian woman, who had not left her house in Alexandria for 25 years, was named as the world's heaviest woman when her body weight reached a deadly 500kg.

She was medically evacuated to Saifee Hospital in Mumbai to go under a bariatric surgery, after suffering from a stroke, which left her bedridden and unable to move.

Abdul Atti's condition caused her to suffer from obesity-related lymphoedema, which led to severe swelling in the legs.

Doctors at Saifee Hosptial claim that Abul Atti's weight has now reached 176kg. However, her sister, Shaima Selim, who has not left her side, begs to differ.

After the dispute between Abdul Atti's family and Dr Maffazal Lakdawala, Abdul Atti's bariatric surgeon in Safee Hospital, the family contacted Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi for help.

"Some miscommunication happened between the hospital and patient, and that's when the patient's family contacted us."

Sanet Mayer, Director of Burjeel's Medevac unit, told Khaleej Times that Abdul Atti will go through various medical assessments which will determine her health condition as well as her true weight.

She said the patient is currently being fed a special liquid diet via a nasojejunal feeding tube, and will be transported on a special bed to the airport.

"She can understand some commands, but she is unable to complete sentences. She's not able to speak words that people can understand, but she can obey commands."

"We have taken into consideration all the risk factors, during flight, that are going hand in hand with medical evacuation of a patient with altitude pressures, which we have taken into consideration."

"Regarding her oxygen levels, we will take care of it. We are well equipped to manage any situations that may arise."

She noted that the stay in the UAE capital is undetermined and the hospital will take as long as they need to, in order to complete the rehabilitation of the patient.

"To insure her health status is improved before we discharge her to her home country, and the support for her family as well," added Mayer.

Mayer noted that there will be a multidisciplinary and integrated approach to treating Abul Atti, as an army of medical experts will look after Abdul Atti during her stay in Abu Dhabi.

"Everything is ready and prepared, she has a specialised room prepared for her and the family, and she has a bariatric bed, which prevents bed sores for long term patients."

She noted that the medical team from Burjeel Hospital have not yet observed her weight, and will evaluate the patient once she is in Abu Dhabi.

"The patient will have a special room and 15 medical experts looking after her," she added.

"The sister of the patient will be with her in Abu Dhabi, and the family will be visiting as well."

Dr Gaffar said that ensuring Iman arrives safely to the UAE is what is most crucial at this present stage.

He noted that the patient is still in Safee Hospital. "We are all working on the safe transportation for tomorrow."

"As of now I would say health and safety is our priority. We are looking at the safe transportation of the patient, to Abu Dhabi, from here."

Dr Gaffar said Abul Atti's treatment in Burjeel has been throughly planned.

"We will have a complete rehabilitation, even physically, psychologically, when she's in Abu Dhabi."

Although Abdul Atti's severe health condition has caught the world by storm, Dr Gaffar and his team are optimistic about her healing process.

"It all depends on her improvement, we will give all our best."

"We want to improve the quality of life, and get her back to normal."

jasmine@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi