The Ramadan Sports Tournament, conducted after a gap of two years, is one of the biggest sporting events in the UAE's healthcare sector.
As lives return to normal in the UAE, more than 2,000 healthcare workers who helped contain the Covid-19 outbreak are having a ball in Abu Dhabi's Hudayriat Island.
Medical professionals, who rose above and beyond to serve the community during the pandemic, are enthusiastically participating in various sports and recreational activities organised by VPS Healthcare.
These doctors and nurses are joined by the senior management led by chairman and managing director Dr Shamsheer Vayalil.
Omran Al Khoori, president of business development, VPS Healthcare, said that such tournaments improve bonding among peers and have psychological benefits.
“As a leading healthcare organisation in the UAE, it is also our responsibility to promote and emphasise the importance of sports and the positive impact it has on our physical and mental health,” he said.
For the sports events, VPS' medical staff from different Emirates are split into teams. Women and men have separate events. Healthcare workers noted that such activities help them to rejuvenate mind and body, and all have been participating with full enthusiasm.
Lama Dawd Abd Elsamad, OPD nurse, Burjeel Hospital, Dubai, said that such sports activities ease the stress of frontline workers.
“The last two years have been so stressful that it has affected us personally and mentally. All recreational activities had stopped due to the pandemic. I am so happy that such an event is organised for the healthcare workers.”
Dr Anees Kallada Vadakkeyil, specialist pulmonology, LLH Hospital, Abu Dhabi, who is participating in the volleyball event, said: “The tournament is a morale booster for us. We stopped playing during the pandemic. This is a good chance for sports enthusiasts like me to regain our fitness by restarting the game. I am sure my colleagues are going to enjoy the event.”
The events are held at night so that fasting staff can participate. It will run till April 24.
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