Winter months critical for baby struggling to breathe on her own
With weak lungs, Marly is prone to pneumonia when temperature drops
Arespirator breathes for baby Marly day and night while her mother, Mariana Aziz, stays by her side, worried that the oxygen levels might drop. While UAE residents look forward to winter, the cooler months are the family’s greatest fear. Marly, 1, was born with weak lungs and struggles to breathe on her own.
“During the winter Marly is prone to getting pneumonia and needs to be admitted to the hospital,” says John Fam, her father.
Marly has been admitted to the hospital twice since her premature birth in June last year. The worst memories for the couple have been rushing their only child to the neonatal intensive care unit as she fights to breathe.
She must take a vaccine during winter, and the injections cost more than Dh4,000 each.
“Marly needs two injections to be taken once a month for four months, that is around Dh9,000 a month,” Mr Aziz said.
The family’s health insurance did not cover the injections or the hospital stay.
Hisham Al Zahrani, manager of zakat and social services at Dar Al Ber Society, said the vaccine was critical to the child’s survival.
“Without these injections, the baby’s recovery will be delayed and she will regularly be admitted to the hospital,” Mr Al Zahrani said.
“It is very difficult for a parent to see their child gasping for breath and rushed to the emergency unit. With the weather changing, she needs to take the vaccine immediately or she will have another life-threatening episode.”
The financial burden has the family worried. The hospital bill stands at Dh800,000 after Marly needed neonatal care for her first six months.
“It was getting too expensive to keep her in the hospital so we took her home,” Ms Aziz said.
The family were later able to settle hospital costs with help from health authorities but cannot afford the injections that are needed every winter.
“Hopefully Marly will completely recover and no longer need them,” Ms Aziz said.
The Egyptian couple hope their daughter will gain enough strength to travel and meet her grandparents in the future.
“In her current condition, doctors said Marly cannot travel,” Ms Aziz said. “My parents want to meet their granddaughter but until she gets better, we can’t take her back home.”