Reprieve for Nigerian mother of quadruplets as Dubai Prince foots hospital bill
Adulkareem, 29, gave birth to the babies, two boys, and two girls, at the Latifa Hospital for Women and Children on July 1.
But the family had no medical insurance and racked up more than $108,000 in medical expenses since the quadruplets were born, their father, Tijani Abdulkareem, said in an interview with CNN.
The Nigerian community and other nationals in Dubai rallied around them to help raise around $11,500 to pay part of the bills.
And now the Emirates Crown Prince stepped in to pay the bills after he came across the initial CNN report highlighting the family’s story.
Abdulkareem told CNN he was shocked by the prince’s generosity, and the couple have decided to name two of their babies after him.
One of the girls will also be called Latifa after the hospital, he said.
“It’s just a huge favour, and we are still in shock because we didn’t even know how to get the money. I had been sleepless wondering how to pay the bill,” Abdulkareem said.
Abdulkareem, a chef at a restaurant in the city, said he was distressed when he discovered his wife was going to have quadruplets.
Latifa hospital CEO, Muna Tahlak, said the hospital staff are “overwhelmed” that the country’s ruler has pledged to cover the full medical bills of the quadruplets who are still being cared for at the health facility.
The babies have gradually been taken off ventilators and two of them now weigh 1.8 kilogrammes. Doctors expect they will soon be strong enough to go home.
The elated father said the family has received “unbelievable” support from the Nigerian community, and various nationalities which has helped them pay for two months rent for a bigger place to accommodate the quadruplets.
“We have been getting calls from Portuguese and Brazilian nationals in Dubai. People have been trying to reach us. The Nigerian community has been following us every step of the way,” Abdulkareem said.
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