Eman Ahmed, the Egyptian national who rid herself of the world's 'heaviest' woman tag after undergoing a weight-loss surgery at Saifee Hospital in the city, passed away in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
Authorities at Abu Dhabi's Burjeel Hospital, where Eman, 37, was undergoing treatment since May 4, said she died at 4.35 am due to complications from underlying comorbid conditions including heart disease.
"She had been under the supervision of a medical team of over 20 doctors from different specialties who were managing her medical condition from the time she arrived in the UAE. Our prayers and heartfelt condolences go out to her family," said the hospital in a statement, adding that her family expressed their appreciation for the care taken by the hospital and the treatment provided to her.
Eman's sister, Shaimaa Selim, filmed a video message which says: "I just want to say that Eman had improved here in Burjeel Hopsital. I want to thank VPS Healthcare, the hospital and Dr Shamsheer Vayalil for everything. He did all tests for my sister and I saw that. Special machines and very good doctors were here. But that's God's will...we cannot do anything but pray for her. This is life."
37-year-old Eman, who weighed more than 500 kgs, was flown from Alexandria to Mumbai for treatment on February 11 this year, accompanied by her sister Shaimaa Selim. This was after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj responded to a tweet of Dr Muffazal Lakdawala asking for help to process Eman's visa.
In less than a few weeks, Eman was down by 100 kgs. By March 18, she was 358 kgs according to her doctors, and by mid-April she was close to 250 kgs. By then, a genetic test had revealed that Eman had a rare genetic defect - with no cure - that was leading to the weight gain.
While Eman's sister Shaimaa initially seemed happy with the treatment in Mumbai, in April she filmed a video in which she alleged that Eman was very sick and that she had not lost as much weight as the team of doctors treating her, led by Lakdawala, had claimed.
Shaimaa then reached out to other hospitals and soon Burjeel Hospital founded by Indian-born billionaire Dr Shamsheer Vayalil offered to not just help Eman but take care of Shaimaa and their mother for the next one year. On May 4, Eman was discharged from Saifee Hospital and was flown down to Abu Dhabi. An over-20 km green corridor was arranged for the ambulance carrying Eman from the hospital in south Mumbai to the international airport.
While under treatment at Burjeel Hospital, in July, Eman started speaking in Arabic and winked at doctors who treated her. According to doctors at the hospital, she was showing massive improvement. Eman could move both her arms, had regained some movement in one of her limbs and could sit for extended periods of time, her doctors said.
As per the Chief Medical Officer of Burjeel Hospital, Dr Yassin El-Shahat, experts associated with Eman's treatment were in advanced planning stages for the second phase of her treatment, which would have taken around four months to complete.
After knowing about her death, Dr Muffazal Lakdawala, who treated Eman in Mumbai, tweeted, "You shall always remain in my thoughts and prayers #EmanAhmed. Shall forever remember her smile RIP."
Shaina NC, BJP leader, who had also visited Saifee Hospital during Eman's discharge to meet her, tweeted, "Unfortunate we lost #EmanAhmed whom Indians loved. Our doctors cautioned on going slow in treatment, guess docs in #UAE thought otherwise RIP."
OPERATED IN CITY
- Eman had lost more than 300kg of her 500kg after a surgery at Saifee Hospital
- She was moved to Abu Dhabi after her family fell out with the medical team
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