A nurse by profession, Farhana was all too aware of the difficulties families faced when dealing with pregnancies. She was used to providing patients and their loved ones with guidance and comfort through this complicated and often stressful period. Despite this, she never once considered who would be there for her in her time of need.
Residing in the nearby city of Kot Addu, Sindh, Farhana lived with her husband and his family. Despite going through a difficult pregnancy, her family was in a festive mood as they prepared to welcome the newest additions to the family. She had already been admitted into Recep Tayyip Erdogan Hospital (RTEH) Muzaffargarh, part of Indus Hospital & Health Network (IHHN), where she was startled to learn that she was pregnant with quadruplets. The medical team took every precaution and guided her throughout her pregnancy.
However, despite the meticulous planning and precautions taken, Farhana unexpectedly went into early labor and was escorted to the Gynecology Emergency. Terrified at the prospect of her children being in danger, she quietly waited as the doctors rushed to deliver the babies. It was a difficult labor, but thankfully she gave birth to three baby boys and a baby girl under the careful guidance of the hospital’s expert gynecologists team. Born at only 29 weeks of gestation, her children faced severe pre-term delivery-related complications and extremely low birth-weight issues.
The medical team in charge was faced with two daunting challenges: increasing the weight of the children and protecting them from potential diseases while also ensuring Farhana’s full recovery from the aftermath of her cesarean section.
Farhana felt like she was living a nightmare. Having worked similar cases, she knew the devastatingly low odds her babies faced. She had heard the screams of young mothers who lost their babies just hours after giving birth. Throughout her pregnancy, she had lovingly carried her babies in her belly and dreamt of hearing their carefree waves of laughter.
Further adding to her strain was the question of cost. As the babies’ lungs were not fully developed, they suffered from respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and sepsis. They needed to be stabilized using a combination of invasive ventilation, surfactant, and other medical treatment. The cost for such a stay in the NICU was approximately $14,000; which was more than what her entire family could afford.
Despite these significant worries, Farhana soon found all her fears were put to rest by the hospital’s medical staff who reassured her that the entire treatment would be completely free of cost and that her priority should be focusing on her recovery.
“It was the most difficult time I’ve ever been through, and words cannot express my gratitude to the doctors and medical staff who have worked tirelessly to ensure my family’s safety,’ said Farhana.
Farhana and her children were promptly provided with a thorough treatment plan and various medical and nutritional supports needed to make a full recovery. During their 5-6 week stay in the NICU ward, the babies were closely monitored 24/7 by the professional staff at the Neonatology Department. A team of doctors, nurses, and supporting staff also took especial care in nursing Farhana to full health.
Soon Farhana and her children were able to make a full recovery and returned home. Today, Azan, Sarim, Zamin and Zaeesha are 8 months of age and at a healthy weight of 8kgs. Witnessing their chubby smiles and playful babbles their parents continue to keep Indus Hospital in their prayers and hope that its impact grows and that every sick child is given a fighting chance at survival.
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