Have patience, we're on the verge of a breakthrough: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed

Abu Dhabi - Sheikh Mohamed was addressing the participants of the third episode of his virtual majlis on Wednesday, May 13.

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, urged people to have patience as the world is facing the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sheikh Mohamed was addressing the participants of the third episode of his virtual majlis on Wednesday.
"We are on the verge of a breakthrough. It's true that until that happens, things will be challenging," he said.
"Despite the lockdown and quarantines, we will get through this."
Sheikh Mohamed said he was sorry that people cannot have access to places of worship, or meet relatives and friends. "Please, let's have patience. Everybody is willingly locked down because the globe is facing one enemy."
Sheikh Mohamed thanked all the frontliners and the leaders who are making the UAE safe. He also thanked a Filipina nurse for her dedication. "Please, send my regards to your family back home, and tell them you are in your second home, the UAE."
In his speech during the episode themed "Standing together: Our healthcare response to covid-19", Abdul Rahman bin Mohammed Al Owais. Minister of Health and Prevention, said the UAE, unlike many countries, has been well prepared for the global pandemic.
"We have managed to get through the first phase and then moved to researches, detection, tracking down and follow-up with teams across the country to protect the UAE from this virus."
Being well prepared and taking quick decision have been an advantage for the UAE during the crisis, he added.
"While the healthcare systems have collapsed in big countries, the UAE is helping others The UAE has even ranked on top in the region and ninth globally in terms of response to Covid-19.
Dr Tom Loney, associate professor, Public Health and Epidemiology, talked about the "unsung" heroes who work behind the scenes side by side with the frontline teams.
"These medical workforces sit at their computers until late hours to collect, analyse and interpret all possible data related to the pandemic. This data helps the UAE leadership and government take instant decisions and preventive measures to curb this virus and protect the society," he added.
"This has helped the UAE government adopt a scientific system and take decisions based on real time data."
The decisions included the closure of airspace against the countries most affected by the virus, he explained.
"Turning to distance learning and remote work, increasing the number of daily tests, protecting most vulnerable people including the elderly and people of determination, along with the national disinfection programme were the decisions taken based on this data."
The Ministry of Health and Prevention has developed an app to make the screening, tracking and treatment initiative easier, he said.
Prof Alawi Alsheikh-Alim, clinician, researcher and consultant cardiac electrophysiologist, said though the crisis is mainly medical, it has social, economic, security and political impacts.
"All universities and industrial institutions nationwide have joint efforts to combat the virus and provide the facemasks needed using 3D printing technology. "We have also developed prototypes of local ventilators."
ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com