A Kenyan patient who had been stranded at a UAE hospital in Abu Dhabi has been evacuated.
Fatuma Thoya had sought treatment at the hospital for Leukemia Cancer but her residence permit expired, effectively halting her right to treatment in Abu Dhabi.
"We raised this issue with the Principal Secretary State Department for Diaspora Affairs Roseline Njogu. Diaspora Insurance and Diaspora County48 Kenya have paid for the evacuation of this lady to Kenya where she will require a bone marrow transplant within the next 14 days," Bernard Kavyu said in a statement.
He is the Director of Diaspora Insurance and chairman, of Diaspora County48 Kenya.
Kavyu said they have been working in partnership with the Kenyan government to provide Kenyans living abroad with Evacuation and Repatriation Insurance coverage.
"We presented a proposal for this Insurance policy cover to the government of Kenya on May 16, 2023, and we are still waiting for the government's response to our proposal," he said.
To avert the risk of finding themselves in the unfortunate position Fatuma found herself, Kavyu encouraged Kenyans living abroad to sign up for the Diaspora Insurance
"Diaspora Insurance and Diaspora County48 Kenya have paid for the evacuation of this lady to Kenya where she will require a bone marrow transplant within the next 14 days."
Kavyu said Fatuma is scheduled to arrive in Kenya on Tuesday at the Moi International Airport in Mombasa at 12.30pm.
"Kindly highlight her case so well-wishers can assist her," Kavyu said.