Mumbai: Maharashtra has decided to introduce a standing operating procedure (SOP) for foreign patients seeking medical treatment in the state following the drama between the sister of Egyptian patient Eman Ahmad Abdul Atti, 36, known until recently as the world’s heaviest woman, and doctors.
Eman had arrived in Mumbai’s Saifee Hospital on February 11 for weight loss treatment and had undergone a bariatric surgery on March 7, thus losing 333 kgs over a period of 82 days. When she was discharged on May 4, to continue her treatment in an Abu Dhabi hospital, she weighed 170 kgs.
Referring to the public disagreement between Abdul Atti’s sister, Shaimaa Selim and doctors at Saifee Hospital, State Health Minister Deepak Sawant said, “The way Eman lost weight after surgery is a proud moment for all of us. This is definitely the finest example to boost medical tourism in the state. But we have learnt many things in this case. I feel the need of having a SOP which would help prevent things turning negative.”
Speaking at a Ministry of Health event in the city on Friday, he said that foreign patients come to India for treatment “but when things become bitter between the patients and doctors, it is the doctors who face trouble.”
Since then, Sawant has instructed officials to prepare a note to be issued to all hospitals with a SOP dealing with precautions and guidelines to be followed in preparation of documents, sharing of information with patient’s relatives as well as the embassy of the patient’s country. The treatment process must be explained in advance to the patient and agreed upon by the doctor and the patient’s family.
Sawant also said that a memorandum of understanding should be written between the embassies of two countries each time a foreign patient is admitted in India. He pointed how Abdul Atti’s discharge faced a delay after her sister allegedly refused to sign some papers presented by Saifee hospital for continuing treatment in Abu Dhabi. “There was a big chaos and External Affairs Minister Sushmaji (Swaraj) had to intervene. Our Indian hospitals get patients from abroad and sometimes our medical fraternity’s image is tarnished,” he said.
The minister had visited Abdul Atti at the hospital on April 27 after Shaimaa had made the allegations on the treatment by Dr Muffazal Lakdawala and Saifee Hospital. He had said, “Issues like taking consent of patients, ethics and documentation and so on will be streamlined so that our doctors who put in so much effort to treat the patient do not fall in trouble.”
He praised Indian doctors who are known for their competence and said he will ensure they provide the best medical care “without fear of allegations from relatives.”
