ABU DHABI, 8th March, 2023 (WAM) — The Frontline Heroes Office (FHO) affirmed that the UAE leadership is keen to honour and empower women, and support their participation in all of the nation’s vital fields and sectors.
To mark the occasion of International Women's Day, the FHO thanks the UAE’s wise leadership for its support and guidance, and leading the way when it comes to adopting women-focused initiatives and addressing the issues they face.
FHO indicated that the UAE adopted the approach of empowering women followed by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who said, “Women are not only half of society in terms of numbers, but also in terms of their role in preparing and raising future generations.”
FHO stated that women have proved their worth through their distinguished capabilities, and the farsightedness of the wise leadership in their abilities, setting the finest example in raising generations qualified to contribute to building a sustainable future for all members of society, and have made the highest sacrifices on the front lines, especially as the Covid-19 virus phase swept the world.
The office added that womwn have borne enormous burdens while balancing their work with their concern for their families, and proven their competence in managing crises inside and outside the home. Women were frontline heroes for their families before working on the front lines in the health sector and in the fields of crisis and disaster management, and their experiences at home fully prepared the women for the transition from raising their children to working as frontline heroes.
In a meeting with some of the most prominent women to talk about the challenges they faced during the period of the pandemic’s spread, Dr. Rania Zeineldin, Chest Diseases Specialist at Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi, said, “The Covid-19 pandemic posed a great challenge for women compared to other members of society. It was about finding a balance between our work, our family and social responsibilities mixed with fear for our family members’s safety, and our keenness to avoid infecting them, especially the elderly.
She added, "On a practical level, the unprecedented increase in the number of illnesses had a great impact on our psychological state, especially at the beginning of 2020, given my work as a chest doctor, but my great faith in my abilities and the huge support from all sides helped me overcome this crisis. This stage went smoothly and safely, and I had the honor to be one of the frontline heroes, maintaining a continuous presence on the front lines to confront the virus.”
“My fear for myself or my family did not stop me from carrying out my duty by visiting every patient, following up on their condition, and raising their spirits to help them confront the virus, as the psychological factor at that time had a great impact in helping patients cope with their illness. We felt we had a moral role in encouraging and raising the spirits of our fellow doctors, especially in the early stages of the pandemic, as we did not have much information about the ways it spread and how to treat it,” she added.
“After that, and the provision of treatment plans created by the concerned UAE health authorities, in addition to continuous and effective communication with specialized support groups to exchange views on how to combat the virus, had a prominent role in providing us with reassurance, and helped us reach the recovery stage across all government hospitals, as well the ability to successfully eradicate the virus.”
Dr. Rania is proud of be one of the frontline heroes, and part of the pioneering health sector’s renaissance and development in the country. She confirmed she tries to balance her work with carrying out her family responsibilities, saying she devotes part of her time to caring for her children and husband, in addition to setting aside time for them all to enjoy as a family.
Dr. Nadia Al Matroushi, Consultant Cardiologist at Cleveland Hospital – Abu Dhabi, said, “I feel proud and happy to be one of the frontline heroes in the UAE, a group that has proven its ability to meet crises head on and respond to them at the highest level, applying the most advanced scientific best practices when dealing with the Covid pandemic.
“My role as a mother and my responsibility towards my family and children did not hinder me from being one of the frontline heroes; rather I benefitted from my experience in dealing with my children and my family. I transferred my maternal affections to the patients in the hospital and I was keen to provide them with the best health care. This hasn’t been an obstacle for me, as the FHO is concerned with caring for all of the frontline heroes. They are constantly providing initiatives and programs that ensure our priorities and needs are met, and they care for workers on the front lines, always following up and supporting their need.”
She added, "I am proud of the leadership’s unstinting support of the frontline heroes, which is represented by FHO. Their willingness to sponsor the frontline heroes and follow up on their efforts, while providing pastoral care is greatly appreciated.”
Sheela Joyce, Charge Nurse at Burjeel Medical City, said that she takes her role as a nurse seriously and is keen to provide any healthcare support she can for patients in the hospital, even though it poses a great challenge for her and her family, especially so during Covid-19, when she was keen at that time not to infect anyone at home.
"My family has always been a source of support for me as one of the frontline heroes, and it was a challenge to achieve a balance between my work and my family. Thankfully, the state spared no effort to provide an appropriate healthy environment in order to keep everyone safe, making sure that the virus does not spread, and I had my supportive family members waiting at home,” she added.