UAE: NRI suffers heart attack while driving, saved after car crashes near hospital

News Network
September 13, 2022

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Sharjah, Sept 13: A 57-year-old Indian expat in the UAE had a miraculous escape after he suffered a massive heart attack while driving, fell unconscious and crashed his car at a roundabout. Fortunately for Jacob John Nediambath, the crash happened near a hospital.

Dr Mohammed Shabbir P., head of Emergency Medicine at NMC Royal Hospital Sharjah, said: "We came to know from a few Good Samaritans about the accident at the roundabout outside our hospital. We dispatched a team of nurses and caregivers with stretchers. We found Jacob lying unconscious in his car. No other vehicle was involved in the accident. We got him to our ER and found him unresponsive to commands with no pulse. Accordingly, the Code Blue protocol — the systems and processes around a heart attack patient — was initiated. Time was a key factor in saving his life as more time could have damaged his heart permanently."

The doctors connected Jacob to a cardiac monitor and started giving him ventricular fibrillations to wake his heart up, along with cardiopulmonary resuscitation to maintain his oxygen levels. Gradually, the team found a pulse. They put him on a ventilator. Doctors diagnosed him with an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) — the “deadliest of heart attacks involving the left main coronary artery, also infamously called the widow artery”.

“A block here gives a massive heart attack, impacting 2/3rd of the heart. STEMI is total or near total blockage of this coronary artery. In a compromised heart function, a patient is most likely to have cardiac arrest and arrhythmias,” said Dr Adel Eryani, HOD & consultant interventional cardiologist at NMC Royal Hospital Sharjah.

‘Slight discomfort’

Jacob, an Indian, has been living in the UAE for 23 years. His wife, Bincy, and two children were away in their home country at the time of the incident.

Two days before he got the attack, he experienced discomfort in his left side, upper arm and shoulder region. He applied some balm, and the pain subsided.

As the pain resurfaced the next day, he decided to meet his general physician. He was on his way to meet his doctor when the accident happened.

"It was morning time, close to 11am. I do not remember anything except that I was diving to meet my GP. The next thing I knew, I was in the ICU of this hospital," said Jacob.

Jacob's wife, Bincy, said his colleagues came to know about his condition by late afternoon as he failed to report for duty. “I came to know in the evening, and coincidentally, I was to fly back the same night to Sharjah.”

The cholesterol connection

Jacob is very active and athletic, and doesn't have diabetes, obesity or hypertension.

Doctors explained that his cholesterol level was high, but it was not alarming enough for his GP to take notice and classify as high risk.

“He had no family history of diabetes, was a non-smoker and was considered a low-risk profile. His GP advised him on diet control and exercise … Such patients will always be advised to modify their lifestyle, focus on activity, and make healthier choices in terms of food.

High cholesterol should not be taken lightly as it can lead to surprising incidents like Jacob's. In the cases where the patients have advised medications, they must take them religiously without fail,” said Dr Adel.

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Agencies
February 7,2025

Washington DC: In a big relief for Indian students and professionals living in the United States on visas and awaiting green cards, a federal judge in Seattle has indefinitely blocked President Donald Trump's executive order that seeks to end birthright citizenship. Slamming the order, the court reportedly said Trump is trying to skirt the rule of law to play "policy games" with the Constitution.

US District Judge John Coughenour's preliminary injunction is the second major legal blow to Trump's efforts to alter the US law as part of a broader immigration crackdown after a federal judge in Maryland issued a similar ruling.

"It has become ever-more apparent that to our president, the rule of law is but an impediment to his policy goals. The rule of law is, according to him, something to navigate around or simply ignore, whether that be for political or personal gain," Judge Coughenour said during a hearing on Thursday in Seattle, according to a report by CNN.

"In this courtroom and under my watch, the rule of law is a bright beacon which I intend to follow," Coughenour continued.

The judge noted that the Constitution is not something with which the government can play policy games. "If the government wants to change the exceptional American grant of birthright citizenship, it needs to amend the Constitution itself," he stressed.

The new nationwide preliminary injunction issued in Seattle expands a previous short-term block Coughenour issued against the President's order days after he signed it. It came a day after US District Judge Deborah Boardman in Maryland issued another preliminary injunction against Trump's order on Wednesday.

Both orders apply nationwide and will remain in effect while the case proceeds. The Justice Department said late Thursday it was appealing the Seattle court's order. The appeal of the preliminary injunction will reportedly go to the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals, a left-leaning appeals court, a move that could eventually land the issue before the US Supreme Court.

How Does Trump's Order Affect Indians In America?

Soon after taking for the second time on January 20, Trump signed an executive order ending birthright citizenship in the United States. The order denies US citizenship to children born on American soil to parents who are not permanent residents of the United States.

The order caused concerns among the Indian community in the US, particularly those living on temporary visas like H-1B (work visas), L (intra-company transfers), H-4 (dependent visas) and F (student visas). As per Trump's order, children born to parents on temporary visas would not get citizenship unless one parent was a US citizen or a green card holder.

Without the right to birthright citizenship, children of these immigrants are at risk of losing access to in-state tuition rates, federal financial aid and scholarships, significantly impacting their educational prospects. The order caused many expectant Indian parents to rush for pre-term deliveries before February 20-- the deadline fixed by Trump's order.

Trump's order also brought anxieties for Immigrants caught in green card backlogs, as their children born outside America could be forced to self-deport upon turning 21 unless they secure another visa.

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News Network
February 12,2025

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The family of Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, director of Gaza's Kamal Adwan Hospital, says he has been subjected to “severe torture and mistreatment” following his arrest by Israeli forces in late December.

Abu Safiya’s family, citing his lawyer, said in a post on X on Wednesday that he endured harsh conditions in the first days of his detention in Israeli jails and was held in solitary confinement for 24 days before being transferred to Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank, where he continues to face poor treatment.

According to Abu Safiya's family, he suffers from chronic high blood pressure and an enlarged heart muscle.

His family added that although Abu Safiya is currently receiving treatment, he is only given one meal per day which is "inadequate” and of very poor quality.

“Regarding his legal case, it is clean, and there are no charges against him,” his family said, adding that all accusations attributed to him have been denied due to lack of evidence and the case is clear.

His family noted that Abu Safiya’s release could be imminent in the coming stages of the prisoner exchange, as the Israeli prosecutors have not filed any charges.

Abu Safiya’s family further called on the international community to pressure Israel to provide adequate food and medicine for him and secure his immediate release.

In late December, Israeli forces raided Kamal Adwan Hospital, forcing patients and medical staff to leave while detaining the rest.

Dr. Abu Safiya, 51, was among those taken for questioning by the Israeli military over alleged links to the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas.

He has already called for international intervention to secure his release and that of all detained medical personnel, stressing that healthcare workers must be protected, their rights upheld, and their immediate release ensured. 

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News Network
February 6,2025

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Udupi: In the serene town of Shirva Manchakal, Udupi district, a profound sorrow has enveloped the community. Rakesh Kamath, a dedicated chartered accountant, aged 32, has tragically passed away on February 5 at Manipal Hospital, Bengaluru, following a brief illness.

A devoted son of businessman Balakrishna Kamath, he had recently journeyed to Hyderabad for professional commitments. He was employed at a private firm in Bengaluru.

Upon his return, he fell ill. Despite medical intervention and initial signs of recovery, his condition suddenly worsened, leading to his untimely collapse. 

His wife acted swiftly, admitting him to Manipal Hospital, but despite all efforts, he did not respond to treatment and departed from this world.

He leaves behind his beloved wife, CA Shruti, along with a multitude of relatives and friends who now mourn the loss of a vibrant soul taken too soon. 

The community stands in solidarity with the grieving family during this heart-wrenching time.

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