Dubai: Pakistani Expat Fighting To Breathe, Mother Begs For Help To Keep Daughter Alive

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

It was in the start of May that Zara Atta first began feeling some discomfort in her throat. On May 22, while on her way to work, the UAE-based doctor collapsed at Dubai's GGICO Metro Station, from where she was rushed to Dubai Hospital.

What she thought was a nagging cough was actually a severe fungal infection, Aspergillus, that caused widespread damage to both her lungs. The Pakistani expat has been fighting for her life in the intensive care unit (ICU) since.

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With over 120 days now spent in the ICU, Zara's family is staring at a mounting medical bill running in excess of Dh140,000 - an estimate given over a month ago to cover medicines, medical care and the ECMO machine used to help her breathe. To survive, Zara urgently requires a double lung transplant, a procedure estimated to cost minimum Dh1.2 million, according to a transplant centre.

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Zara's survival hinges not just on medical intervention, but also on the kindness and generosity of the community. The family, unable to bear the expenses, is making an emotional plea for donations and financial assistance that would help this young doctor access the transplant required to save her life.

Her mother, Shaista Tahir, who is on a Dubai visit visa, is desperately trying to save her only daughter. "My daughter dedicated her life to serving the people of the UAE. Today, she is facing a critical medical emergency and urgently needs a lung transplant to survive. I earnestly appeal to authorities, charities, and kind-hearted individuals to come forward and support us," she said in an emotional plea to Khaleej Times.

The young resident recently marked her 32nd birthday from her hospital bed on September 19. The ICU team at Dubai Hospital surprised her with a cake and decorated her bed to lift her spirits. She was joined in the celebration by her mother and a few well-wishers.

Zara's employer has, so far, remained supportive during her health battle. In a statement, Nurseco Home Healthcare said, "Our thoughts and prayers are with Dr Zara Atta during this critical time. May her strength, the dedication of her medical team, and the support of loved ones guide her toward a full recovery. We stand with her, with hope and healing in our hearts."

However, it remains unclear how long the company will be able to continue sponsoring her.

What happened to Zara?

As per medical reports reviewed by Khaleej Times, Zara's condition rapidly deteriorated after she was admitted. She was found to have dangerously low oxygen levels after she was wheeled into the emergency room, and was immediately placed on a mechanical ventilator.

Despite aggressive treatment with antibiotics, steroids, and other supportive therapies, her condition continued to worsen. "She had been unwell for some time before reaching the emergency room, and by then, the lungs were extensively scarred," said Dr Rashid Nadeem, consultant Intensivist, Dubai Hospital.

"Even with a ventilator, she was unable to breathe adequately. That's when we had to place her on ECMO, a machine that acts as an artificial heart and lungs, to keep her alive," Dr Nadeem.

Eligibility criteria for transplant

Zara needs to meet certain criteria to be eligible for the transplant, including being fully conscious and off sedation, able to sit up and walk a few steps.

As of now, Zara is awake, alert, and responsive, with normal brain function confirmed by a CT scan and improving EEG results. While her lungs remain weak, CT scans indicate gradual healing, and her oxygen needs have reduced to 1.5 litres, suggesting better lung contribution.

She continues to depend on ECMO support, but all other organs are functioning normally. With physiotherapy and rehabilitation underway, her overall condition is stable, and doctors remain cautiously optimistic as they monitor her progress toward eventual ECMO weaning.

Zara's lungs are so severely damaged that they cannot function on their own. The ECMO machine, meant only as a temporary bridge, is keeping her alive until she becomes fit enough for a lung transplant, informed Dr Nadeem.

Hope and prayer

Dr Ibrahim Khan, Zara's former colleague and close friend, has been a pillar of support throughout her ordeal, even assisting her mother with visa arrangements. "It's painful to see a dedicated colleague like Dr Zara in the ICU for such a long time, fighting for her life. She has always been a source of strength and compassion in her work in the UAE - and now, she needs ours. I stand with her in hope and prayer for her recovery. Being a doctor myself, balancing my duties while supporting her family in such tough times is challenging, but I am doing my best to help save her life."

Her cousin, Sufiyan, said, "She's not just my cousin - she is an inspiration, a warrior, and we will stand by her until she walks out of this."

As Zara continues to recover in the ICU, her mother, Shaista Tahir, looks for financial support and finds herself relying on prayer, seeking comfort and strength as she watches her daughter fight for her life each day.

"I raised her to heal others - now I can only pray for her own healing. Every heartbeat of hers is my prayer, my fight, my hope."

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