AN Indonesian woman who tried to commit suicide shortly after arriving in Bahrain is making a slow recovery in hospital.
Domestic worker Zoou Huria, 28, was admitted to Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) on Thursday after jumping from a second floor apartment in A’ali.
She is believed to have suffered injuries to her neck, legs and face.
Indonesian Embassy consular section head Mohammed Rifqi told the GDN she had regained consciousness, but was still in a serious condition.
“Doctors have said that she will become stable after a few weeks of medication,” he said.
“Her sponsor, who was out of Bahrain when the incident occurred, said he did not know what forced her to take this drastic step. No more information can be gathered until she starts speaking.”
After recovering in hospital it is thought Ms Huria will be cared for at a shelter operated by the Indonesian Embassy.
The GDN has reported 25 suicides and attempted suicides in Bahrain since the beginning of the year, most of them low-paid workers from either India or Pakistan.
However, Migrant Workers’ Protection Society (MWPS) chairwoman Marietta Dias said it was impossible to know the exact figure because many incidents were not made public.
At least three other expat women had been admitted to hospital in the last two months after attempting suicide.
Ms Dias said she visited one Indian woman who attempted suicide and found two others in the same hospital ward, both from Indonesia.
“It is a very sad situation and it is something that needs to be looked at in the country of departure, as much as it needs to be dealt with here,” she said.
“Many of these workers are unprepared and don’t know what to expect when they come to Bahrain.
“By the time they try to take their own life, it is too late for us to offer them the help they need.
“It is a very complex subject and it also shouldn’t be assumed that these women are doing this just because of their working conditions, as other factors may also come into play.
“Whatever be the reasons for these incidents, it is a very sad phenomenon and something that is happening a lot in Bahrain.”
frances@gdn.com.bh