Mexican asked for Ebrard's help to get his girlfriend out of the Dominican Republic: “it's a matter of life and death”

A Mexican couple who are in the Dominican Republic have asked President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for help to leave the country and return to Mexico, as the woman was diagnosed with Guillain Barre Syndrome and is in poor health. Your partner says it's a life-and-death situation.

And what began as a trip abroad became a nightmare for compatriots. Enrique Pérez and Ana Alejandra Mora left Mexico on Saturday, March 26, heading to Punta Cana for the purpose of vacationing for a few days. However, the next day his situation changed.

On Sunday 27, Ana began to feel unwell, so she went with medical staff from the hotel where they were staying, but they were referred to a clinic at the Punta Cana Medical Center for treatment, as it was the closest to the area where they were.

At first, Ana Alejandra was diagnosed with “vertiginous syndrome”, so it was determined that she did not require specialized medical attention and her state of health was not classified as urgent. Enrique, his partner, commented that “during the time we were in that clinic Ana Alejandra's health deteriorated rapidly.”

According to the health report issued on March 29 and shared on Enrique Pérez's Twitter account, Ana, 34, had symptoms of vertigo and general weakness. On that day (Tuesday), Alejandra had a crisis and was transferred to the Canela 1 Clinic, located in the province of La Romana to receive care by specialists.

After several analyzes and medical studies, the young Mexican woman was diagnosed with Guillain Barré syndrome (GBS), which “first immobilized her and then prevented her from breathing,” Enrique said. GBS occurs when the immune system attacks part of the nervous system, causing nerve inflammation, muscle weakness, paralysis, among other symptoms.

Pérez pointed out that since Tuesday the state of Ana has been delicate, but that is not the only problem, since the insurance they took out with Universal Assistance has already exceeded the limit on medical expenses. According to the medical report of April 3, Ana relapsed and had to be intubated. Now, the Mexican couple need to raise about $35,000 (about 700,000 pesos) to hire an air ambulance and leave the Dominican Republic.

That is why Enrique has used social media to seek help from the Mexican authorities and the media, since “every day is vital to save his life,” Pérez said. Meanwhile, Enrique's sister has taken a collection to raise funds; however, the young Mexican says they are still a long way from reaching the finish line.

On March 29, the Mexican embassy in the Dominican Republic reported that since Sunday the 27th they had contact with Enrique and the clinic. “Attentive that the medical center you chose gives its consent so that our compatriot can return,” they said.

This Monday, April 4, the embassy responded to Enrique Pérez after he republished several posts on his Twitter account, noting that the necessary provisions will be made in case of exceeding medical coverage. They also indicated that Ana will be given medical follow-up and alternatives will be sought for her return to Mexico.

In this regard, Senator for the State of Hidalgo, María Merced González González, drafted a formal request to the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Marcelo Ebrard, and the Mexican Ambassador to the Dominican Republic, Carlos Peñafiel Soto, to provide support to the Mexican couple and coordinate their air travel.

Finally, it should be noted that during the first year (2020) of the COVID-19 pandemic, 70 cases of Guillain Barre Syndrome associated with SARS-CoV-2 were recorded, according to the study Guillain-Barré syndrome during the COVID-19 pandemic: experience of a reference center in Mexico. The report also notes that the global incidence of GBS is 0.89 to 1.81 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

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