Struggle to sponsor carer for expatriate

Sharjah: The family of an expatriate doctor who has been in a coma for the past three years were denied a domestic helper visa by the Sharjah Naturalisation and Residency Department because the salary of the sponsor was not enough.

The family, who are in desperate need for a carer, cannot afford the fees which must be paid by expatriates to sponsor a domestic helper for their daughter.

They are hoping to sponsor a carer to help their paralysed daughter after she was asked to leave Al Qasimi hospital where she has been in a coma for the past three years.

Doctors have said the woman's condition will never improve and the hospital is asking her parents to take their daughter home as it needs the bed.

The Palestinian mother, Umm Ramzi, who works at a school in Sharjah, said she approached Sharjah Naturalisation and Residency Department recently asking their help on humanitarian grounds to sponsor a carer and to drop the huge fees but her request was rejected.

"My daughter needs a helper to be with her 24 hours a day," said Umm Ramzi. "She cannot be left alone at night. I am afraid her health could get worse while she is sleeping and she cannot ask for help."

Massive cost

"I was asked to pay fees of a 12 month salary to the residency department in addition to a deposit of Dh 5,000. The total amount which we have to pay per year to sponsor a carer is Dh 12,000," she added.

Umm Ramzi said that she pleaded for help as her salary is not enough and she cannot afford to bring someone to help her daughter.

Her daughter, Reem, is a 30-year-old doctor who fell into a coma after giving birth to twins around three years ago in Al Qasimi Hospital. Umm Ramzi said this was due to the negligence of the hospital staff.

She said her daughter had gone for a pre-natal check-up and a doctor ordered an immediate Caesarean section. She gave birth to Gassan and Bisan and went into a coma due to complications.

"I pray hard that she will get better," said Umm Ramzi. "We are all in pain and suffering because of what has happened to my precious daughter."

Umm Ramzi said that one of the officials at the Sharjah naturalisation and residency department said to her that expatriates should pay because it is a kind of luxury for them to have domestic helper.