Can't pay your Dubai medical bills? DHA is here to help

What do you do when you get seriously ill in your adopted country and do not have the financial capacity to deal with your illness?

It’s especially difficult for those who do not have an insurance cover.

Dubai residents can take heart as Mosaadah (assistance) - an initiative of Dubai Health Authority (DHA) – makes the impossible possible.

Naima, a 46-year-old Palestinian woman living in Dubai, was diagnosed with breast cancer this year. Not covered by medical insurance, chances of recovering looked grim, as each chemo therapy cure would cost her Dh3000. She needed 6 treatments.

As her situation seemed hopeless, everything changed as a brochure in Dubai Hospital caught her attention. Mosaadah could help, read the brochure.

"We try to help people of all nationalities and religions with their treatment," explains Salem bin Lajeh, Head of the programme.

Based on the motto 'Your health is our Future', the programme provides services to support patients with financial constraints. "The aim of living a happy life in the UAE should be covered from all angles," said Salem.

"There are no limitations in what we cover. Sometimes we can cover a complete treatment, and sometimes we support the patient with necessary equipment," explains Salem.

"We receive a large number of requests every month and select the number of cases we can support. This selection is based on the severity of the medical case and the financial restraints."

Naima was one of the lucky patients whose request was immediately approved. With the support of Mosaadah for 80 per cent of the costs, she could start her chemotherapy, and is half-way now.

Another applicant, a Pakistani, ZI, has a less complicated request. "I am in need of a health card for my family, he says.

"I had a good job at Al Maktoum Hospital, but when the hospital shut down I was transferred to Rashid Hospital. Now, I only earn Dh2,000 and I am supporting my mother and disabled sister. I can manage, but when medical costs arise I cannot cope. The other day my sister had a blood infection and I was only able to provide her with Panadol. If I had a health card, I could deal with emergency cases at the very least," he says.

Over the last six months the committee was able to deliver more than Dh300,000 in support of medical treatment.

In 2012, the programme reached out to 317 patients and spent Dh450,000 on their treatment, in addition to Dh100,000 on equipment including beds, wheelchairs, oxygen machines etc.

"The money does not come from our own pocket. All the money comes from donors. We form an intermediate between those donors and the patients," says Salem.

Organisations like Beit al Kheir, Charity Box, the Department of Islamic Affairs or cancer programs in the country are among the contributing parties.

"It is very good to have Mosaadah in Dubai," says Naima. "I tried to contact several organisations in a plea for help, but it is very difficult to do this. There is a lot of paperwork that needs to be filled out, and you need to answer many questions.

"These organisations are in their right to ask questions about my situation, and so did Mosaadah. However, with Mosaadah I did not feel as if I was begging for help. It is terrible to ask for help, and Salem did not once make this uncomfortable."

"I am very happy to be appointed this position. It is great to see people become happy. A case that made a big impression on me is that of a Sudani man, whose leg was injured. He did not live in Dubai, and did not know anybody here. We managed to control the case. When he recovered from the operation, he was so happy," Salem recollects.

"It is very important to have a program like this in Dubai," adds Naima. Cancer patients go through a difficult time, physically as well as physiologically. On top of that, medical treatment is very expensive, this is an extra burden.

"Cancer patients really need all the support they can get. Mosaadah is trying their best to make that happen."
 

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