Robust performance acknowledged at its annual general meeting
NOTE: This report is part of a special National Day series called #HeroesUnmasked. The series pays tribute to the UAE's frontliners: The people who faced the coronavirus head on — no second thoughts, no questions asked — all for the love of the country. Part 3 of a 7-part series.
Dr Lolwa Ahmed Al Ali was busy taking care of her newborn son when Covid-19 struck. Heeding the call of duty, the Emirati doctor decided to stay away from her baby and the rest of her family to be on the front lines of the pandemic battle.
“It was a very difficult decision, yet it’s a sacrifice that I had to make. As a frontline worker, my top priority is the safety of my community. It was also in response to the call from our great leaders who worked hard to ensure that everyone was safe,” said Al Ali, the clinic manager at Al Falah and Al Samha Healthcare centres in Abu Dhabi. She has been working as the site manager at the Seha drive-through screening centre, Al Masoudi, throughout the pandemic. She is also responsible for managing the Covid-19 vaccine trials at the site.
Many other healthcare professionals were making far greater sacrifices, Al Ali said. “They have small children, so they have chosen to stay in hotels with other healthcare workers. As frontline heroes, we are ready to do our best to save and protect our community.”
As a medical staff, her biggest challenge throughout the pandemic has been to keep both her team and the community safe. “We have endeavoured to ensure that best quality indicators and infection control measures are implemented,” she said.
Fighting Covid-19 meant long hours of work, anxiety and stress, wearing the PPE for extended periods, and many other challenges, Al Ali said. “However, we were able to manage all these, with the support of our leaders and supervisors.”
Motivated by UAE leaders
Amid Covid-19, Al Ali is a proud Emirati doctor and it’s all because “the UAE’s leaders have given us huge motivation throughout the pandemic”.
“His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, was constantly monitoring the situation and conducting regular meetings with different entities to know what has been achieved and how the nation will end the pandemic and move forward,” said Al Ali.
“What motivated me the most were his words to the nation. He said: ‘Medicine and food is a red line for us and don’t worry’. As frontliners, that assurance gave us a huge boost to work hard to keep the UAE community safe and secure.”
ismail@khaleejtimes.com
Robust performance acknowledged at its annual general meeting
Israel has baulked at a permanent ceasefire, saying that would only allow Hamas to regroup
Total income reached to Dh5.607 billion compared to Dh4.431 billion, a solid expansion of 26.5 per cent YoY
Sheikh Abdullah bin Salem bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, presented the awards to the winners in various categories
Apart from the road network, the exclusive island will feature a helipad, and plans are afoot to connect it through waterways from Abu Dhabi and Dubai
Move aims to deepen multi-sectoral cooperation
The new development is setting new benchmarks in luxury living, combining opulent amenities with breathtaking natural landscapes
Brands in the UAE and the region have been advised to create the right awareness schemes that they’re deemed neutral