An overseas Filipina worker (OFW) in the UAE was able to undergo a life-saving surgery after a hospital in Sharjah decided to shoulder half of the operation expenses.
In an article written by Suchitra Bajpai Chaudhary for Gulf News, Al Zahra Hospital in Sharjah paid Dh130,000 of the Dh260,000 operation costs of OFW Jennifer Rose Diaz who had to have two of her heart valves changed and another one repaired.
Diaz, who had been having problems with her heart since she was little, was rejected multiple times by different hospitals due to the cost and risk of the procedure.
To be able to pay for the remaining cost, Diaz’s insurance paid for Dh80,000 of the bill while the OFW shelled out Dh50,000 through the help of her friends and loans.
Dr. Rafik Abu Samrah, the consultant cardiologist who conducted the surgery, said Diaz had to have the procedure since the OFW’s illness has reached “life-threatening” stage.
The OFW is now recovering from the surgery after being discharged from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital.
“I am still weak, but I was able to sleep like a baby throughout my stay in hospital. I am no longer breathless or palpitating and gaining my strength every day. I look forward to being discharged and resuming work in a few weeks,” Diaz said.
