Abu Dhabi hospital steps in after mother abandons newborn

Abu Dhabi - A Filipino woman in her early 20s gave birth to Omer prematurely through an emergency C-Section surgery.

An abandoned four-month-old Filipino baby is being taken care of by the staff at a private hospital in Abu Dhabi, Khaleej Times has learned.
The baby boy, named Omer, last saw his mother on September 10 when he was just one month old.
As per the hospital records, the young Filipino woman in her early 20s gave birth to Omer prematurely through an emergency C-Section surgery on August 8, 2016. She is now found to have left the country.
"The baby was in the Neonatal ICU (NICU) at the Universal Hospital for about a month and was ready to be discharged on September 10. The mother left the ward saying she will come back with some clothes for the baby. She never turned up," said the head doctor of the neonatal department.

Though the patient did not have a bystander at the time of the surgery, she had submitted a marriage certificate to prove the baby was not born out of wedlock.
According to the doctor who treated Omer, the woman would come and visit the baby often at the NICU though she was discharged weeks before. "She looked happy and would play with the baby. We had no reason to believe she was planning to abandon the baby and vanish one day," said the doctor.
Now at four and a half months, little Omer would perhaps never be able to recollect his mother's face when he grows up. But oblivious to his uncertain future, he is happy and chuckles whenever the staff plays with him.
From a fragile 1.3kg, Omar has grown big and healthy under the care of the hospital staff. "He is a healthy and happy baby now and weighs 5.5kg. He drinks his formula milk without any fuss," said a staff.
"We all love him and have grown attached to the baby," said Ann, another nurse who takes care of him. Many among the hospital staff have even come forward to adopt little Omer.
But following the court orders, the hospital will have to move the baby to an orphanage soon.
He said though they have got a court order to leave the baby under the care of an orphanage, so far they have not been able to find on that can take him.
reporters@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE
• Abu Dhabi