Bystander CPR and a rapid emergency response saved the child after she was found submerged for several minutes.
A four-year-old girl has been stabilized following a near-drowning incident, with health authorities praising the quick actions of emergency teams and hospital staff in Abu Dhabi.
According to SEHA, a subsidiary of PureHealth, the child had been submerged face down in a swimming pool for around three minutes before a bystander rescued her and began CPR on-site.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) were activated immediately, and responders reported the return of the child’s pulse before transporting her to Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC). She arrived at the hospital approximately 30 minutes after the incident, showing signs of respiratory distress.
Initially, the child’s oxygen levels were stable and she was fully conscious. However, her condition quickly worsened, with oxygen saturation falling and indications of neurological compromise developing within minutes.
Doctors at SKMC’s Emergency Department detected lung congestion consistent with post-submersion injury using point-of-care ultrasound, enabling immediate and targeted treatment.
A multidisciplinary team activated emergency protocols to stabilize the child before transferring her to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) for ongoing care.
Dr. Fatima Al Jaberi, Consultant in Pediatric Emergency at SKMC, emphasized that timely and coordinated intervention was crucial to the child’s survival.
“Every second counts in incidents like drowning. The collaborative efforts of EMS and hospital staff were key to the patient’s stabilization,” she said.
SEHA highlighted that the case underscores the importance of water safety awareness, early intervention, and the life-saving impact of bystander CPR in emergencies.
