Eman Ahmed dies in Abu Dhabi hospital

Once the world’s heaviest woman at 500 kg, she spent 82 days at Saifee Hospital where she lost 324 kg; Burjeel Hospital blames infection and resultant septicaemia; doctors who treated her in Mumbai shocked by sudden demise

Mumbai: Egyptian national Eman Ahmed Abd El Aty, once the world’s heaviest woman at 500 kg, passed away at Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi on Monday. Doctors at the hospital said her condition had deteriorated over the past 24 hours, resulting in multiple organ failure. Her body will be flown to her hometown Alexandria on Tuesday, where her last rites will be performed. Eman had celebrated her 37th birthday on September 11.

A statement issued by Burjeel Hospital said Eman, who breathed her last at 4.35 a.m., died of complications due to underlying co-morbid conditions, including heart disease and kidney dysfunction. Doctors said she had developed an infection, and septicaemia worsened her condition.

Dr. Nabeel Debouni, medical director, Burjeel Hospital, told

The Hindu , “She did not respond to treatment as expected over the past few days. We shifted her to the Intensive Care Unit on Sunday, but her condition did not improve.”

Dr. Mufazzal Lakdawala, who headed the team of doctors that treated her for obesity at Saifee Hospital, was unavailable for comment but expressed his condolences on Twitter. “Inna-lillahi-wa-inna-ilayhi-raji-un. You shall always remain in my thoughts and prayers #EmanAhmed .Shall forever remember her smile RIP.”

In a video released by the hospital, a visibly emotional Shaimaa Selim, Eman’s sister, said her condition had improved tremendously after she was admitted to the Abu Dhabi hospital. “Everything was done for her. I saw special machines and very very good doctors here. But that’s god. We can’t do anything but just pray for her,” she said.

82 days in Mumbai

Before being shifted to Burjeel Hospital, Eman spent 82 days at Saifee Hospital, where she underwent a laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy procedure to battle her obesity, and was kept under close observation in a specially-constructed ward. Despite a crowdfunding initiative, more than ₹2 crore was spent on her transportation and treatment.

Towards the end of her stay at Saifee, relations between Ms. Selim and Dr. Lakdawala went into a tailspin, with the former alleging she wasn’t getting proper treatment, and she was shifted to Burjeel Hospital. Days before she left for the Abu Dhabi hospital, she had weighed in at 176 kg. in the presence of this reporter.

Dr. Aparna Govil, a bariatric surgeon attached to Global Hospital who was a part of the team that treated Eman, said that it was an unfortunate turn of events. “She had improved considerably when she was in Mumbai. Even in her latest pictures and media reports, she seemed to be progressing well. Whatever happened seems to be sudden.”

A city-based weight loss surgeon, who declined to be named, said operating on a bedridden patient who could not speak, move or swallow was a mistake. “I feel the patient should have been prepared for eight to nine months before surgery. The focus of the prep could have been intense physiotherapy and medication for reducing water retention in her body.” The doctor said only after achieving some weight loss should the surgery option have been considered. “The surgery itself was the biggest risk to her, besides other issues that come with extreme obesity.”

A doctor from the Saifee team that operated on her said without surgery, it was a lose-lose situation. “We would have definitely lost her without operating as she was very sick. With surgery, we took a chance and so did her family.”