Multidisciplinary rehabilitation and sustained family support helped restore mobility, communication, and independence following severe neurological injury
Abu Dhabi, UAE, August 2026 – SEHA, a subsidiary of PureHealth, the largest healthcare group in the Middle East, highlighted the recovery journey of a 62-year-old stroke patient treated at SEHA’s Salma Rehabilitation Hospital in a case that reflects the impact of coordinated rehabilitation, sustained clinical support, and family involvement in restoring function and independence after severe neurological injury.
The patient experienced an acute ischaemic right middle cerebral artery stroke that left him bedbound with profound muscle weakness. On admission to Salma Rehabilitation Hospital, he required mechanical ventilation, nasogastric feeding, and a tracheostomy tube. His Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) was low, and his activity tolerance was minimal.
At the start of rehabilitation, the patient could communicate only using pen and paper. A coordinated care plan was developed to address communication, swallowing, and broader rehabilitation needs, with gradual progress supported through ventilator weaning, speaking valves, and a safe transition to oral feeding following a videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS).
During the course of treatment, the patient experienced setbacks, including temporary renewed ventilator dependence related to lung complications. However, with continued support from his family and the rehabilitation team, he continued progressing through each stage of care.
Rhea Maurice El Achkar, speech therapist/speech & language pathologist at Salma Rehabilitation Hospital, said: “Regaining the ability to communicate was an important turning point in this patient’s recovery. As his ability to express himself improved, we saw greater engagement with therapy, stronger interaction with those around him, and meaningful progress in both swallowing and overall rehabilitation.”
Physiotherapy progressed from bedside exercises and assisted transfers to gym-based mobility training, ultimately supporting the patient’s return to independent walking with safety precautions. By the time of discharge, he had regained significant strength and was participating more fully in daily activities.
Benz Conrad Rago Lasta, a physiotherapist at Salma Rehabilitation Hospital, said: “His progress reflected the value of early, goal-directed physiotherapy delivered in a structured and consistent way. By building strength, balance, and functional mobility step by step, the team was able to support a recovery that helped restore independence and confidence in daily life.”
Today, the patient has regained independent mobility and communication, an outcome that highlights the role of coordinated rehabilitation in helping individuals recover function and confidence after life-altering neurological illness.
Salma Rehabilitation Hospital continues to advance comprehensive, patient-centred rehabilitation through close collaboration across clinical disciplines, resulting in better long-term outcomes for patients with complex rehabilitation needs.
About PureHealth:
PureHealth is the largest healthcare group in the Middle East with an ecosystem that challenges lifespans and reimagines health spans. With 110+ hospitals, 316+ clinics, multiple diagnostic s, health insurance solutions, pharmacies, health tech, procurement, investments, and more, its groundbreaking innovations are at the forefront of healthcare. The company is on a mission to unlock time for humankind. By advancing the science of longevity, PureHealth is introducing the healthcare of the future from the United Arab Emirates to the rest of the world.
PureHealth’s network comprises:
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- SEHA – One of the largest healthcare networks of hospitals and clinics in the UAE
- SEHA CLINICS – Delivering comprehensive community-based healthcare services
- Daman (The National Insurance Company) – The UAE’s leading health insurer
- The Medical Office – Overseeing Sheikh Khalifa Hospitals and healthcare facilities established under the initiatives of H.H. The President of the UAE
- Rafed – The UAE’s largest healthcare Group Purchasing Organisation
- PureLab – Managing and operating the largest network of laboratories in the region
- One Health – A network that provides end-to-end medical solutions to a base of over 300 healthcare service providers
- The Life Corner – Abu Dhabi’s first holistic pharmacy, serving the health and wellness establishment
- Ardent Health Services – The fourth largest privately held acute care hospital operator in the US
- Circle Health Group – The largest independent operators of hospitals in the UK
- Hellenic Healthcare Group (HHG) – the largest private healthcare provider in Greece and Cyprus
- PureCS – A leading cloud and technology services provider, specialising in IT management and consulting solutions, cybersecurity, cloud services and AI information systems
- Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC) – The UAE’s largest healthcare complex, delivering integrated complex care
About SEHA:
SEHA is an independent, public joint stock company created to develop the curative activities of the public healthcare system in Abu Dhabi. The company operates a big number of the public hospitals and clinics of the emirate of Abu Dhabi. SEHA is a PureHealth asset, the largest healthcare platform in the Middle East.
SEHA is committed to continuously improving of customer care to recognised international standards and providing the community with world-class healthcare. SEHA operates 14 hospitals with over 2600 beds, 70 ambulatory care, family care, urgent care, 6 dialysis s, and 4 blood banks. Its facilities accommodate 132,000 inpatients annually, conduct 52,000 surgeries, and treat more than 6.7 million outpatients.
SEHA is one of the largest integrated healthcare providers in the Middle East, with more than 20,000 doctors, nurses, ancillary care, and administrative personnel.
To find out more about SEHA’s specialised clinic or book an appointment, call 80050 or visit SEHA.ae. You can also book an appointment through the SEHA mobile app or WhatsApp 02 410 2200.
