Latest: Dubai's field hospital medics on alert, as India surge shows risk of complacency
Dedicated Covid-19 field hospitals in Sharjah, Ajman and Ras Al Khaimah are alleviating pressure on the healthcare system.
The facilities are helping regular hospitals return to normal – and could be repurposed for years once the pandemic has subsided, officials said.
Doctors there warned some young people were becoming lax in adhering to coronavirus measures and urged vigilance as the UAE approaches herd immunity through its vaccine programme.
They also told of how treatment has changed since the early days of the outbreak, with less reliance on ventilators.
The National toured the field hospitals and witnessed firsthand how medics are helping to tame the pandemic.
Dedicated care for Covid-19 patients
A field hospital in Sharjah, which opened last month to monitor people with Covid-19, has so far treated less than 100 patients.
The Mohamed bin Zayed Field Hospital, located near Al Zahia Park, opened on March 28 and has just 21 patients.
Operated by Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha), the hospital has treated more men than women over the past month, with most admitted and discharged within four weeks.
The majority of patients are between 35 and 50, and only a handful with pre-existing conditions.
"The main purpose of having field hospitals is to help Covid-19 patients with dedicated staff," Dr Yousuf Alattar, chief executive of the hospital told The National.
“However, it is not so much about need or demand, field hospitals work to help regular hospitals return back to normal activity and alleviate pressure or stress on normal services.
“Now, we are more prepared and want to be ready for any new waves that may come.”
Dr Alattar said the 7,000-square-metre facility could be operational for “up to 20 years” and could be used for other medical purposes once the Covid-19 pandemic has subsided.
The hospital has treated a mix of nationalities including Indian, Egyptian, Syrian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and one Emirati.
How field hospitals work
The field hospital has capacity to treat 204 patients in 48 intensive care beds and 156 acute beds.
It has been divided into two zones: the red zone, which houses ICU patients, and the green zone, for acute care.
In the acute care ward, cubicles are divided by walls, with a curtain separating patients from the main corridor for privacy.
We try to treat certain patients without ventilators as much as possible so the patient can learn to breathe and work to strengthen the lungs and muscles
The setup is similar in the ICU ward, with larger cubicles for patients needing advanced care.
Dr Alattar said the shortest time a patient spent in the facility was three days and the longest, just eight days.
Most of the patients were discharged with a negative result, but those who became completely asymptomatic after a few days were discharged with a positive result and fitted with a GPS tag to complete their isolation at home.
The hospital has 47 doctors, 151 nurses and 53 ICU nurses, plus other staff, including radiologists, respiratory specialists and laboratory technicians.
Staff have been supplied by Seha from facilities including Tawam Hospital and Al Ain Hospital, as well as from healthcare organisations such as VPS Healthcare and InterHealth Canada.
They work 12-hour shifts and have been provided with dedicated accommodation in nearby hotels.
Vaccinations 'will end pandemic'
While he could not say whether any of the patients treated had been vaccinated, Dr Alattar urged people to get the Covid-19 vaccination.
“In general, what we know is that the number of infections and the number of admissions to ICU is higher when not vaccinated,” he said.
“The vaccination campaign is reducing the severity of the disease which in turn is reducing the strain on field hospitals.
“We have very few ICU patients [at this facility].”
One year on from the Covid-19 outbreak being declared a pandemic, Dr Alattar said some younger people were starting to become lax with regards to safeguarding themselves from the virus.
He advised people to continue being vigilant as the country is "approaching herd immunity", with vaccination efforts and strict safety protocols helping reach this status.
How has treatment changed?
Speaking to The National, Dr Thomas Sebastian, deputy lead physician at the field hospital in Sharjah, said the way he treats patients has changed over the past six months.
“During the first wave, it was all very new. When patients [with moderate cases] came in, we put them on ventilators early,” he said.
“That has changed now. We try to treat certain patients without ventilators as much as possible so the patient can learn to breathe and work to strengthen the lungs and muscles around them.
“We can use non-invasive ventilators if needed.”
Despite a number of new Covid-19 variants being reported since the initial outbreak, Dr Sebastian said symptoms have remained similar.
Field hospital in Ajman
Just a 20-minute drive from the facility in Sharjah is the Mohamed bin Zayed Field Hospital in Ajman.
The layout, size and bed capacity is identical to the hospital in Sharjah. Located next to the Sheikh Khalifa Medical City Hospital in Ajman, it opened on March 14.
On the day The National visited, there were nine patients in the intensive care ward.
Ahmed Al Ameri, supervisor for the field hospital in Ajman, said the average age of patients was 40.
To date, staff have not treated any patient who has been vaccinated against Covid-19.
The shortest stay a patient has had at the hospital was two days, while the longest was 14 days.
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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Stuck in a job without a pay rise? Here's what to do
Chris Greaves, the managing director of Hays Gulf Region, says those without a pay rise for an extended period must start asking questions – both of themselves and their employer.
“First, are they happy with that or do they want more?” he says. “Job-seeking is a time-consuming, frustrating and long-winded affair so are they prepared to put themselves through that rigmarole? Before they consider that, they must ask their employer what is happening.”
Most employees bring up pay rise queries at their annual performance appraisal and find out what the company has in store for them from a career perspective.
Those with no formal appraisal system, Mr Greaves says, should ask HR or their line manager for an assessment.
“You want to find out how they value your contribution and where your job could go,” he says. “You’ve got to be brave enough to ask some questions and if you don’t like the answers then you have to develop a strategy or change jobs if you are prepared to go through the job-seeking process.”
For those that do reach the salary negotiation with their current employer, Mr Greaves says there is no point in asking for less than 5 per cent.
“However, this can only really have any chance of success if you can identify where you add value to the business (preferably you can put a monetary value on it), or you can point to a sustained contribution above the call of duty or to other achievements you think your employer will value.”
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Bombshell
Director: Jay Roach
Stars: Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, Margot Robbie
Four out of five stars
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The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
The specs: 2018 Mazda CX-5
Price, base / as tested: Dh89,000 / Dh130,000
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Power: 188hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 251Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.1L / 100km
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
SPECS
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Where to Find Me by Alba Arikha
Alma Books
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What went into the film
25 visual effects (VFX) studios
2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots
1,000 VFX artists
3,000 technicians
10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers
New sound technology, named 4D SRL
Brief scores:
Toss: Pakhtunkhwa Zalmi, chose to field
Environment Agency: 193-3 (20 ov)
Ikhlaq 76 not out, Khaliya 58, Ahsan 55
Pakhtunkhwa Zalmi: 194-2 (18.3 ov)
Afridi 95 not out, Sajid 55, Rizwan 36 not out
Result: Pakhtunkhwa won by 8 wickets
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
How being social media savvy can improve your well being
Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.
As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.
Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.
Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.
Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.
However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.
“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.
People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.
T10 Cricket League
Sharjah Cricket Stadium
December 14- 17
6pm, Opening ceremony, followed by:
Bengal Tigers v Kerala Kings
Maratha Arabians v Pakhtoons
Tickets available online at q-tickets.com/t10
Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi
Director: Kangana Ranaut, Krish Jagarlamudi
Producer: Zee Studios, Kamal Jain
Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni
Rating: 2.5/5
Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
The specs: Audi e-tron
Price, base: From Dh325,000 (estimate)
Engine: Twin electric motors and 95kWh battery pack
Transmission: Single-speed auto
Power: 408hp
Torque: 664Nm
Range: 400 kilometres
