(This story originally appeared in on Jan 12, 2017)

Saifee Hospital at Charni Road

The 3000 sq ft facility – comprising an operation theatre, a dedicated Intensive Care Unit, a doctors’ room, an attendants’ room, two restrooms and a video conferencing room – is being constructed on the ground floor behind the hospital’s main wing.

MUMBAI: Saifee Hospital at Charni Road has begun building a special facility for the world’s heaviest woman, 500-kg Egyptian Eman Ahmed , who is scheduled to undergo bariatric surgery at the hospital.The 3000 sq ft facility – comprising an operation theatre, a dedicated Intensive Care Unit, a doctors’ room, an attendants’ room, two restrooms and a video conferencing room – is being constructed on the ground floor behind the hospital’s main wing.The hospital is spending close to Rs 2 crore to build what can be described as a “one-bed hospital.” Everything here is being designed with Eman Ahmed’s weight and frame in mind – from extra wide doors to a 7ft by 7ft bed.A dedicated team of doctors comprising Dr Muffazal Lakdawala, Saifee’s consultant bariatric surgeon, a cardiologist, a cardiac surgeon, an endocrinologist, a chest physician, two intensivists, and three anaesthetists will operate upon Eman Ahmed and will also be involved in her post-operative care 24*7.Eman Ahmed, 36, has not been able to step out of her home in Cairo in 25 years. Her inability to move out of the bed has spawned a clutch of associated ailments like diabetes, asthma, hypertension, pulmonary problems, and depression.A tweet on Eman Ahmed’s condition by Dr Lakdawala has spawned an online campaign to raise funds for bringing her to Mumbai. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj , who responded to Dr Lakdawala’s tweet , has promised all help in bringing Eman Ahmed to India.Without revealing the exact date of Eman Ahmed’s arrival in Mumbai, Dr Lakdawala on Wednesday confirmed that preparations for her surgery have begun. The surgery will be performed free of charge and Eman Ahmed’s family will not have to pay for her postsurgery recuperation too. She is likely to spend at least six months under Dr Lakdawala’s care.SB Industrial Construction company, which is building the new facility, has been given January-end as the deadline to finish the construction work. Site manager Hardeep Singh said nearly 70 per cent work has been completed in the last 10 days.Dr Lakdawala has been in talks will air-ambulances and commercial airliners world over for flying Eman Ahmed to Mumbai. But no information was available on Wednesday on whether the hospital has been able to reach an agreement with any. A plane flying her would have to have its seating reconfigured.There are no direct flights to Cairo and last heard private carriers had thrown up their hands and no airline was willing to charter a plane for her.Eman Ahmed’s sister Chaymaa Abdulati takes care of her daily needs. It was she who got in touch with Dr Lakdawala about the possibility of treatment in October last year.Chaymaa Abdulati had told Mirror then: “Eman had to drop out of primary school after suffering a cerebral stroke, which left her bedridden. I perform her everyday tasks for her like changing, washing and feeding her.”