COVID-19: 29-Year-Old Nigerian Mother Stranded In Dubai With Newborn Quadruplets

A 29-year-old Nigerian mother, Suliyah Abdulkareem, has been stranded in Dubai with her newborn quadruplets because of the Federal Government’s ban on international flights as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The woman, who works as a cleaner in a hospital in Dubai was delivered of two boys and two girls on July 1. She lives in a hostel accommodation with her 32-years-old husband, Tijani and other occupants.

The husband, who spoke with CNN said they began making plans to relocate his wife to Nigeria to give birth when they found she was having quadruplets in January. He added that the travel restrictions caused by the outbreak of coronavirus prevented her wife from returning to Nigeria until she was eventually delivered of the babies in July.

Abdulkareem said the couple hoped that the travel restrictions would ease ahead of her planned departure to Nigeria in May, a few months before her August delivery date but the situation grew worse.

Abdulkareem, who works as a cook at a restaurant in Dubai said it would have been difficult to rent a bigger place with his income combined with his wife’s.

He said, “We thought the travel situation would improve … but the lockdown made it difficult to get flights.”

While they were still making arrangements for her travel to Nigeria, Abdulkareem said his wife went into premature labour and had the babies via an emergency C-section at the Latifah Women and Children hospital in Dubai.

Abdulkareem said his wife stopped work as a hospital cleaner some months ago and their meager income was not enough to get health insurance which is making the hospital bills to mount.

The family has incurred thousands of dollars in medical debt since the babies were born and the bill is mounting as doctors say the quadruplets may remain for another six weeks at the hospital before they can go home, Abdulkareem said.

The couple owe around $120,000 and are incurring daily charges of $5000 to keep the babies in separate incubators.

The father told CNN they have been relying on the goodwill of the hospital and the generosity of the Nigerian community in Dubai. “The hospital has really helped us.

They discharged my wife and are doing all they can to ensure that the babies are doing well. The Nigerian community has also been like a family to us,” Abdulkareem said.

The community, with contributions from some UAE residents and other nationals who read the news on local media, have been able to raise (AED) 30,000 (around $8000) to pay part of the family medical bills, Abdul-Hakeem Anifowoshe, a member of the diaspora community in Dubai told CNN.

They have also secured rent for two months at a bigger apartment for the couple for when the babies are discharged from the clinic, Anifowoshe said.

“We’re keen on ensuring the family gets ongoing support towards the welfare of the mother and the quadruplets even when they get back to Nigeria,” Anifowoshe said.

The Chairman of the Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, whose agency has been evacuating citizens stuck abroad, said the country’s embassy in Dubai had contacted the family.

“The mission is on top of the matter and is in constant touch with the family,” Dabiri-Erewa said.

The new father said he was anxious to resettle his family back in Nigeria where he believes there would be more family members to help out with caring for the babies. However, they may have to wait a little longer.

He said, “I never expected to have quadruplets. It is still a miracle. And I believe that can happen again to get my family to Nigeria.”