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Finnish woman back home

An elderly Finnish woman who spent nearly five years at Dubai Hospital in a semi-vegetative state is finally back in her home country.

  • By Nina Muslim, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 00:43 October 7, 2008
  • Gulf News

  • Anna (lying down) is kept under medical supervision at Dubai Airport while waiting to be flown back to Finland.
  • Image Credit: Atiq-Ur-Rehman/Gulf News
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Dubai: An elderly Finnish woman who spent nearly five years at Dubai Hospital in a semi-vegetative state is finally back in her home country.

Anna Leena Mirjami Agnew arrived safely in Finland on Monday morning. The 61-year-old had been scarcely aware of her predicament all through as she was left confined to her hospital bed in Dubai after suffering a stroke while vacationing in the UAE.

Anna's British husband, David Agnew, had returned to Saudi Arabia, where the couple had been living, to arrange for her repatriation, but never returned after falling ill himself.

The hospital and three Finnish families contacted the Finnish government with details about the stranded woman but did not receive a favourable response. On August 6, Gulf News reported Anna's case, which sparked outrage in the UAE and Finland.

Pasi Tuominen, director of Consular Services at the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told this paper via email that Anna was to be taken to Kuopio Hospital, which is located in her hometown.

"After arrival, she will be examined by medical experts and she will receive treatment according to her needs," he said.

Local guardian

Tuominen said a civil servant in the municipality of Helsinki, who was not identified, has agreed to become Anna's legal guardian for the moment. The municipality is also bearing the cost of her medical care.

During her stay at Dubai Hospital, Anna ran up medical bills of more than Dh134,000.

However, Dr Abdul Razzaq Al Madani, director of the hospital, said the Department of Health and Medical Services (Dohms) that runs the hospital has decided to waive the charges.

"The Director-General of Dohms has waived the bill. There are no charges for her," said Al Madani, adding he hoped Anna would receive the care she needed in Finland.

Earlier, nurses at the ward that Anna had made her home for over four-and-a-half years said they were happy Anna was being repatriated but their tears started showing as paramedics closed the doors of the ambulance transporting her to the airport.

"We never thought she would be here for four-and-a-half years. We thought she would leave after a week because her husband said he was going to take her back," recalled Nimat Rahan, a nurse who was on duty when Anna first arrived at the hospital.

"We'll miss her," she said.

"It's like saying goodbye to someone who has been in your home," said another nurse.

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