Egyptian Eman Ahmed, 36, ‘the world’s heaviest woman’, who is being treated at a Mumbai hospital is in the news again. This time not for her weight loss. While doctors claim she has 242kg, almost half her weight since her surgery, her sister Shaimaa Salim on Monday called Saifee hospital surgeon Dr Muffazal Lakdawala and the hospital ‘liars,’ alleging they “put Eman on massive medication to stop her brain activity”.
Here’s Eman’s journey in Mumbai:
February 11: A 504-kg Eman landed in Mumbai. After repeated attempts to avail medical aid from doctors in Egypt and Greece, Eman’s sister Shaimaa started an online campaign, which caught the attention of Mumbai’s Dr Muffazal Lakdawala. External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, who during her stay at AIIMS Delhi, communicated with the officials of Indian embassy in Egypt, who had rejected Eman’s visa application to come to India for treatment.
Lying in a specially created box bed by artisans of Egypt travelled in Egyptair freighter aircraft airbus 300-600 to Mumbai, Eman was brought to the hospital in an open to sky truck, covered by all sides for security purposes.
February 16: Eman thanked her doctors and the governments of India and Egypt for their help, in a video message recorded from her bed at Saifee Hospital. In the video, the 36-year-old expressed her gratitude, saying she could feel a difference between Egypt and India and that she felt much better here.
March 7: After losing almost 100kg with a special diet, Eman underwent a bariatric surgery -- sleeve gastrectomy. The size of her stomach was reduced by around 75%, leaving a narrow gastric “tube” or “sleeve.
Doctors also removed a large portion of the 36-year-old’s stomach fat and limited her food consumption ability.
March 18: The doctors claimed Eman’s weight was down to 358kg.
April 12: Doctors said Eman has lost 242kg, almost half her weight. The weight loss, said doctors, had also dramatically improved her health — Eman’s heart, kidneys and lungs are functioning better and her water retention levels were under control, they said.
April 22: The hospital released pictures and videos of “smiling” Eman. The images, shot on April 18, show 242-kg Eman Ahmed sitting in a wheelchair for a long period of time, something that was impossible for her three months ago, say doctors. They said Eman has now been shifted out of the room specially designed for her onto a normal hospital bed.
April 24: Eman’s sister Shaimaa Salim called surgeon Dr Muffazal Lakdawala and the hospital “liars” and claimed they had “put Eman on massive medication to stop her brain activity”. Officials said this was a tactic by the family to delay Eman’s discharge because no medical facility in Egypt is willing to provide free medical services. Officials from Saifee Hospital said they have spent more than Rs 2 crore on Eman’s travel, treatment and surgery and separately collected more money through donations around the world.