Dubai: It was a happy curtains-down on the Abu Dhabi Health service (Seha)-run field hospital at the Dubai Parks and Resorts as the last two patients were given a rousing farewell by the 150-strong staff of dedicated frontline health care workers on Monday, July 13.
The 1,200 bed facility which housed about 2,300 patients during its peak is just one of Seha’s facility to be declared COVID 19 free. Over the course of the last few weeks, several SEHA facilities have been declared COVID-19-free, including Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, Al Tawam Hospital, and hospitals in the Al Dhafra region.
Built in three weeks, the Dubai Parks and Resorts field hospital admitted its first patient on April 24 and has had a dedicated team of 150 health care workers including doctors, nurses and technicians putting in over 12 hours of work caring for moderate to mildly affected COVID-positive patients.
Speaking about the field hospital, Dr Mabarak Hamad Al Darmaki, Chief Operating Officer from Al Rahba Hospital, Abu Dhabi who ran this facility told Gulf News, “It is with great pleasure that we all say our goodbyes to the last two patients. We opened this field hospital responding to the nation’s call. We had a staff of 100 nurses, 30 physicians, 28 volunteers and about 18 radiologists, laboratory technicians and pharamacists, totally, working here at the peak. We are proud to say that we had sero fatalities and zero incidence of transmission to any of our medical staff. We have closed down this hospital as the demand for this is no longer there. I think UAE has been greatly successful in flattening the curve as of now. However, we are alert and remain on standby for any second wave.”
Dr Al Darmaki also added that the hospital followed all the health protocols in place for COVID treatment by Dubai Health Authority which has been in sync with the national protocols issued by the Ministry of Health and Prevention.
The field hospital had active cooperation from many other community stakeholders such as the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services (DCAS), the Dubai COVID-19 Control and Command Centre, The Dubai Police, Civil Defence, RTA and Emirati volunteer marshalls. Dr Al Darmaki gave credit to the excellent synergy between all the bodies and the team work which made this project successful.
The two patients were visibly delighted to be going back home. Noiruddin Emam, a school teacher and Egyptian expatriate who was admitted to the field hospital in the third week of June tol Gulf News: “I am so glad to be the last patient from this hospital. The nurses and doctors went beyond the call of duty in caring for every patient. I always felt I was in safe hands with their excellent service.”
Michelle Vidanes, the Filipina who was among the last two told Gulf News: “I am feeling totally fit and healed. This has been a challenging period for all and I was admitted with mild symptoms on June 20. I am now COVID-19 negative and cannot thank the kindness and dedication of the doctors and nurses enough.”
