Abu Dhabi: In order to strengthen the UAE’s fight against COVID-19, three new field hospitals are currently under development.
The field hospitals are located in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and will provide a total of 3,400 additional hospital beds when completed. They are being constructed by Abu Dhabi’s public health provider, the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha).
In a social media post, the Abu Dhabi Department of Health announced that Khalifa Bin Mohammad Bin Zayed, Member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office recently toured two of the upcoming facilities, following directives by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
One of the three new field hospitals has been set up over 31,000 square metres in the capital at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. The hospital has 1,000 beds and will be run by a team of 150 professionals.
At the Emirates Humanitarian City in Abu Dhabi’s Mohammad Bin Zayed City suburb, a second field hospital is taking shape. It will span 29,000 square metres, provide a total of 1,200 beds, and be staffed by 200 medical professionals. The DoH said the facility is expected to be ready by the first week of May.
The third field hospital by Seha will be located at the Dubai Parks and Resorts. Expected to open by the end of the month, the facility will span 29,000 square metres. A total of 1,200 beds will be available, and the facility will be run by 200 medical professionals.
Field hospitals have become the preferred facilities to accommodate an increasing number of patients during coronavirus outbreaks. China famously built a brand new field facility within six days at the height of its coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan.
The UAE has also already set up a fully equipped field hospital with 3,000 beds at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
