UAE safe haven helps Gazans heal psychological wounds of war

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The wounds of war are clearly visible for large numbers of Palestinians taking refuge in Abu Dhabi's Emirates Humanitarian City from the raging Israel-Gaza conflict.

Persistent Israeli air strikes on the enclave have not only turned homes, hospitals and schools to rubble, but shattered countless lives, too. Innocent civilians remain in wheelchairs, while others have lost limbs and broken bones as a result of the trail of destruction which has swept across Gaza over the past year.

The psychological scars they have incurred are, however, often hidden from plain sight and more difficult to heal. This is why a network of mental health support is in place in Abu Dhabi so the heavy burden is not carried alone.

About 2,000 patients are being housed at EHC as part of the UAE's continuing humanitarian operations in solidarity with the Palestinians. About medical 150 appointments are carried out each day within the vast complex, not including those admitted to hospitals in the capital for complex surgery.

A separate building at EHC features a pharmacy, clinics, a ward with hospital beds staffed by doctors, paediatricians, an internal medicine doctor, psychiatrists, dentists and a rehabilitation specialist. EHC has a medical team of more than 50 doctors, nurses, therapists and administrators. A school serving more than 400 children has also been established at the EHC to support Gazans living there.

Crucial mental health support

Dr Samah Obaid is team leader for the mental health support unit at EHC. They have protocols in place to ensure every new arrival is given the help they need. An initial psychological assessment is carried out on the second day of arrival.

Counselling and therapy sessions are provided to help children and adults open up about their experiences and deal with a range of knock-on effects, such as anger, anxiety and depression.

"When I first see them, the most common thing we observe, particularly with kids, is PTSD [post traumatic stress disorder]," Dr Samah Obaid said. "They are going through two major crises in life: one is being sick and the other is war where they are losing members of their family.

"So when they first come, they are very disturbed. We have very difficult cases where a child loses all their family members and has no one left other than a grandmother."

She said a common issue among adults is survivor's guilt, for those saved from the horrors of a war in which the death toll in Gaza now exceeds 41,500. "They feel guilty that they are here while their children or families are back home without food to eat or a place to sleep. Their stories and the trauma they have been through is like nothing I have ever seen or heard in my life.

"But we try our best and I find happiness when I see a child who hasn’t spoken for two months suddenly start speaking and interacting with us."

Clinical psychologist Dr Amro Ibrahim Mustafa was recruited by EHC due to his experience of caring for war survivors. He stressed the immense loss and grief of Gazans who have endured harrowing ordeals.

"Imagine a person who comes from an environment where he or she is surrounded by loved ones, suddenly finding nobody around them," he said. "This is very difficult for anyone."

He said it is vital to surround those who have seen their world turned upside-down with love and support. "Even if they don’t feel safe, it is important that they know someone is there, prepared to listen and support them," Dr Mustafa said.

He emphasised that every Gazan at EHC requires psychological support, given what they have experienced. "At first, the symptoms don’t always show because they have priorities to deal with but gradually they start to remember and recall what has happened."

A child's anguish

One of the most difficult cases, he said, was Siraj Magdi, 8, who saw his parents killed when an air strike hit their house. His brothers and other family members were also killed in the attack, while he lost a leg.

"When he remembers or gets flashbacks, he just stops speaking and bangs his head on the wall," Dr Mustafa said. Siraj only recently started speaking and smiling again.

Taghrid Magdi, Siraj's grandmother, said he and other young children receiving psychological support have made remarkable progress.

“His situation was very hard," said Ms Magdi, 52. "He was constantly crying and screaming and refusing to take medication because of all the surgery, the anaesthesia and the blood tests."

"He was very angry all the time but look at him now. He has a prosthetic and now runs and plays like any other child. All the children have changed. I can say they have changed more than 80 per cent from when they first arrived. They are now playing and running around with their friends."

Siraj is now dreaming of visiting the Ferrari World theme park in Abu Dhabi and has impressed doctors with the improvement in his well-being after facing such adversity.

“We’ve come a long way from when he first arrived," Dr Obaid said. "Siraj spent three to four months at the hospital. He refused to eat, speak and even take treatment. It brings tears to my eyes. When I see Siraj smiling and waving goodbye to me when I go home, I can’t explain to you how happy it makes me.”

Emirates Humanitarian City School - in pictures