Parents Can't Take Preemie Home From Hospital Until They Pay $120,000 Bill

A couple's venture into parenthood hit a sudden and devastating roadblock when they were prevented from taking their newborn daughter home until they paid a $120,000 hospital bill. According to a GoFundMe page created to help bring their daughter home, British-born father, Azhar Saleem, and his wife, Syeda Khola Adnan of Dubai, welcomed their daughter in July. Initially planning to give birth in the UK, she was forced to give birth in Dubai due to her spousal visa being denied, leading to a months-long battle to bring their baby girl home.

"Due to severe complications with my pregnancy we were enlisted to seek help of one of only two foetal specialists in Dubai. Dr Mayserah, who happened to sit at NMC ROYAL, I went for a regular check up on 14th July and was admitted immediately at NMC ROYAL DIP as my amniotic fluid was very low and our baby's heart rate and blood pressure was decreasing rapidly," the couple explained. "They immediately did an emergency c section and our baby was delivered by the grace of God. The tiniest but most beautiful little baby. 23 weeks premature weighing only 400 grams and the size of my hand. We initially wanted to go to a government hospital but because of how quickly events unfolded this was no longer an option."

According to the couple, just after giving birth, Adnan was slapped with a $120,000 bill, which was expected to climb to $246,000 due to the care her daughter would require, and which the hospital wanted upfront.

"We tried to reason with the hospital, offering monthly installments based on our capabilities, but they rejected our notion and astonishingly asked for the whole payment up front or split up the payment in three installments," Adnan wrote, adding that the hospital threatened legal action and "the doctor has advised they won't give us our daughter back until the bill is totally cleared."

"We really need help to bring my baby home, any kind of help would be appreciated," Adnan wrote. "You don't realize the situations you can find yourself in until you find yourself in them. I have never thought of asking for help before in my life, but sometimes you have to bite the bullet and your pride and do everything you can to bring your loved ones, in this instance our baby home."

Not long after the heartbreaking plea, hundreds of donations began pouring in, and in an update shared on Sept. 27, the couple revealed that thanks to the kindness of an anonymous donor who settled the bill, their daughter would be coming home once she is healthy enough, hopefully "within a matter of weeks."