Why moving Egyptian woman Eman Ahmed from Mumbai to Abu Dhabi is not a good idea

Eman Ahmed has a high risk of liver failure and severe weakness owing to her rapid weight loss

Transporting Egyptian woman Eman Ahmed — once the world’s heaviest — to Abu Dhabi will only exacerbate her health problems, said bariatric surgeons from Mumbai on Thursday.

Eman’s sister Shaimaa said she doesn’t trust Egyptian or Indian doctors and had called specialists from VPS Healthcare to check Eman.(HT)

Surgeons raised concerns over Eman’s physical ability to be airlifted and transported to Abu Dhabi, considering her rapid weight loss after surgery.

Eman lost 333 kg in two months, which increases her risk of liver failure and severe weakness, said experts. “Eman lost about 4kg a day. The figure is hardly close to normal,” said a noted bariatric expert from the city.

“Going by the videos that were released, Eman’s condition seems to be critical. She is being fed through a food pipe. There is a high risk of neurological complications developing, considering how stressful the journey will be,” he added.

‘Shifting Eman will hit medical tourism in India’

Experts said shifting Eman to Abu Dhabi would hit medical tourism in India.

“When it comes to medical care, India is at par with any other developed country. However, in this case,we do not have a CT scan machine, which could help us make a diagnosis of Eman’s neurological condition, which Shaimaa claims has deteriorated. It is true that Eman’s case has raised the standards of medical tourism in Mumbai. If she goes back, it wont leave a good impression,” said a veteran doctor from Saifee Hospital

Dr Shashank Shah, Fortis Hospital, who has treated multiple cases of severe obesity, told HT that Eman’s weight loss differed from that of his patients. “Patients usually lose 40kg to 50kg within two months of their surgery. But later, it takes them about one-and-a-half year to lose 150kg to 200kg, subject to their diet and metabolism. Rapid weight loss is always dangerous as it alters the body’s functions without giving it time to adjust,” he said.

He said the differences in Eman’s case could stem from her rare monogenic disorder, which causes severe obesity.

On Wednesday, Eman’s sister Shaimaa said she doesn’t trust Egyptian or Indian doctors and had called specialists from VPS Healthcare to check Eman. “

Eman’s weight loss journey

As of April 24, Eman had lost 333 kg. She now weighs 171 kg.

She weighed 262 kg on April 11.

She was 340 kg as of March 29.

Doctors pegged Eman’s weight at 358 kg on March 18.

Eman underwent bariatric surgery on March 9.

She weighed 384 kg on February 11.

The hospital’s claims about Eman’s weight loss are baseless. She hasn’t lost more than 60kg and her condition is deteriorating rapidly,” alleged Shaimaa.

Dr Muffazal Lakdawala said most of Eman’s obesity-related problems such as severe hypothyroidism, lymphoedema, right-sided heart failure (or pulmonale), severe obstructive respiratory disease, renal failure and congestive liver are under control. However, Eman still needs to be on medication, he said.

“As a result of the stroke that left her right side paralysed, she still develops occasional seizures despite being on medication. She is still unable to swallow liquids or speak properly,” he added.