Dubai: A Dubai-based Sri Lankan couple is seeking help to pay the mounting hospital bills of their newborn son undergoing treatment for a respiratory problem.

Mohammad Hussain Samath, 49, said his wife Prinsley Parera, 39, delivered their first child on November 27 shortly after which he ran into breathing difficulties. “He was admitted to the Iranian Hospital where he was on ventilator support but was later shifted to University Hospital in Sharjah.”

A medical report by the Iranian Hospital confirmed the baby was suffering from meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS), a condition which occurs when meconium or the infant’s first stool is present in the lungs during or before delivery.

A hospital doctor said the baby was suffering from primary preliminary hypertension due to MAS and was later shifted to a Sharjah hospital as it had the specialised neonatal ventilation facilities for treatment. Samath said the baby was making progress now, but the rising costs of hospitalisation were weighing on them.

A guest services staff at a hotel, he said his monthly salary of Dh1,400 was insufficient to meet the expenses. “We have already spent over Dh30,000 which we borrowed from friends. The doctors are good and our baby is getting better but we have no idea how we will pay the mounting charges.”

He said he and his wife had their first baby after many years of marriage. “We were so happy that our dream finally came true. But we never expected things to take this turn. We just want our baby to become alright. Please, please help us bring him home.” (Source: Gulf News)