Doctor travels back to Corniche Hospital to thank the staff who delivered him

Dr Manoj Premarj owes his life to the care given by Corniche Hospital staff when he was born there, 28 years ago.

ABU DHABI // Dr Manoj Premraj is living proof of the lifesaving work the Corniche Hospital performs, and the life-long effect its staff have.

This month Dr Premraj travelled from India with his family to see the hospital in which he was born and given life-saving care 28 years ago, and to thank staff for the care they gave to his mother, Geetha Hemraj.

Dr Premraj was born very prematurely, at only 28 weeks, on October 6, 1986. He weighed only 1 kilogram.

“It was a Caesarian delivery and the baby did not look good at all,” says his father, Premraj Gopalan.

Little Manoj was on a ventilator for several days in the Corniche Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), where he stayed for 78 days.

“I had heard stories about my premature birth from my mother,” says Dr Premraj. “But after I became a doctor, it was important for me to visit the hospital that saved my life and thank everyone.”

Mr Gopalan echoed his thanks.

“Seeing my first-born strapped to pipes and machines and struggling for life in a tiny NICU cot at the hospital was extremely painful,” he says.

“Today I cannot believe that the same helpless little baby has grown up to be a healthy doctor.”

Ms Hemraj recalls her difficult pregnancy. “With a history of four miscarriages, I was advised bed rest throughout the pregnancy. I was provided the best antenatal care at Corniche but was destined to go into early labour with heavy bleeding.

“Despite many complications, the NICU doctors made me at ease and assured me the baby would be fine. The NICU team were like family.”

Dr Julian Eason, chair of neo-natology, says today’s technology is unrecognisable to what it was when Corniche Hospital first opened its doors.

“An infant born today at 28 weeks’ gestation is now almost routine and expected to do well. We are proud of what we have done and continue to achieve for infants and their families at Corniche Hospital.”