Dubai's healthcare community mourns former Indian expat doctor from Kerala who helped deliver 3,000 babies

Dubai's healthcare community is mourning the loss of Dr Mary John, a veteran gynaecologist from Kerala, India, who helped deliver nearly 3,000 babies over her nearly three-decade career in the emirate. Dr John, affectionately known as "Girly" to her friends and family, passed away on August 21, 2026, in Springfield, Illinois, at the age of 81.

Her family described her as a woman whose warmth extended beyond her clinic, serving the community of New York as well. Dr John joined Dubai Hospital in 1987 and later moved to Latifa Hospital, where she headed the gynaecology department from 1996 to 2006. She then took charge of the Dubai Gynaecology and Fertility Centre, a role she held until her retirement in 2016 after serving for 29 years.

Under her leadership, the DGFC pioneered infertility treatment in the emirate and helped deliver close to 3,000 babies. Dr John also introduced laparoscopy and minimally invasive surgery to Dubai's obstetric practice and helped bring subspecialties into the local healthcare system. She trained generations of doctors who later became leaders across the Dubai Health Authority, a legacy that may be as significant as the babies she helped bring into the world.