DUBAI // For a hospital ward, security is tight. There are two burly, uniformed guards stationed at either side of the main entrance.
The door to this section of Rashid Hospital is sealed and protected by an alarm. Beyond it, patients are hurriedly guided left or right, depending on their sex.
The patients are barely visible in their rooms, each separated from the corridor by not just one, but two sealed doors, with a sink in the space between.
Around the walls, dozens of photographs and notices sternly instruct visitors and staff to use one of the many soap dispensers.
It is necessary. Because this is the infectious disease unit.
As intimidating as it may seem, these precautions are essential to prevent the spread of some of the maladies treated here. The unit, which has been in operation for more than 25 years, admits about 600 patients each year for ailments ranging from leprosy and malaria to meningitis and HIV/Aids.
"I remember when we saw the first case of HIV," recalls Elzy Mathew, a staff nurse.
"Everyone was a little worried, as we hadn't seen it before. Now it's just part of our normal work, we see it quite often."
Because of the diversity of Dubai's population, and the country's role as a transit hub, diseases that have been eradicated in many other parts of the world are found in the emirate.
Last year alone, patients with leprosy, typhoid and tetanus - diseases rarely seen in western hospitals - were treated in area hospitals.
Only last week, two rooms were occupied by young Asian men who had travelled into the country with leprosy, a contagious disease now largely confined to countries such as India and Bangladesh.
The air pressure is kept low in all 22 rooms of the infectious disease unit; when the doors are opened, air flows in, but not out - an essential part of preventing cross-contamination.
Outside the door of each occupied room is a either a yellow or red warning sign.
Yellow is "contact precaution" - indicating that the disease can be transferred only by physical contact.
Red is "airborne precaution", for patients with a disease that can be transmitted via airborne methods.
Of the 642 admissions to the unit in 2009,134 were for tuberculosis. Hepatitis (51 cases), viral meningitis and HIV (41 each) were also common.
"Some patients come in with life-threatening infections," said Dr Laila al Dabal, who is one of the unit's head physicians.
"A severe form of meningitis, for example, can be both fatal and highly infectious. All infections involving the brain can be fatal."
Thanks to regular, intensive hygiene training, not one staff member has been infected since the unit opened.
The government-funded facility treats people regardless of nationality or residency status. Some have notifiable diseases, such HIV/Aids, leprosy, hepatitis and tuberculosis, meaning that their cases must be reported to governmental authorities. These patients are treated, then sent back to their home countries, along with a two weeks' supply of medication and a detailed medical report.
"By law we have to fully manage him to make sure he is in good shape to travel home," Dr al Dabal said.
"We don't send sick people or people carrying active diseases home. It's a responsibility we take when we send them home."
The unit is split into male and female wards, and a three-bed room is used to treat acute hepatitis only, as the disease is highly contagious.
With some patients' stays lasting for months, it is important that they feel comfortable. "Being in hospital makes anybody stressed," said Nidal Abu Kabbah, the senior charge nurse. "Nobody is in a good psychological or emotional state because it's a new place.
"On an isolation ward you need a wonderful team. We take precautions without hurting the patients' feelings.
"We wouldn't shake hands with them and immediately run and wash them, it's insensitive. You need to take sensible precautions without upsetting or worrying anyone."
The unit usually operates at full or just under full capacity, and during an epidemic every room is occupied. "The ward was full during the H1N1 pandemic last year," Dr Dabal said. "There are certain times of year when things get busy."
When the first case of swine flu arrived in the UAE the patient was admitted to the infectious disease unit at Tawam Hospital, while Rashid's infections disease unit was put on standby.
As it emerged that countries needed to concentrate on mitigating the effects rather than containing the disease, the unit only accepted patients who had been stopped in transit at Dubai airport.
From May until December, 39 H1N1 cases were admitted to the unit. Most of the individuals had travelled from the US, Australia and Europe.
"We followed the right protocol," Mr Kabbah said. "We were here to treat the patients from the airport, but the best thing for everyone else was to go to their local health clinic.
"When there are so many cases there is no point isolating anyone unless it is essential, like the transit passengers with nowhere to go."
For Mr Kabbah, each patient is as important as the next, regardless of their disease or nationality. He understands the mentality of the patients and how lonely they can feel at times, especially if they do not have any visitors.
"We have the most wonderful team in the hospital and the way they communicate with the patients is great," he said.
"You can't make them feel disgusted. Sometimes they need company, and all the staff are prepared to give that.
"For everyone it's a challenging and rewarding job."
munderwood@thenational.ae
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Naga
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EMeshal%20Al%20Jaser%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EAdwa%20Bader%2C%20Yazeed%20Almajyul%2C%20Khalid%20Bin%20Shaddad%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Cargoz%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20January%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Premlal%20Pullisserry%20and%20Lijo%20Antony%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2030%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Seed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
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
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
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At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Inside%20Out%202
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The essentials
What: Emirates Airline Festival of Literature
When: Friday until March 9
Where: All main sessions are held in the InterContinental Dubai Festival City
Price: Sessions range from free entry to Dh125 tickets, with the exception of special events.
Hot Tip: If waiting for your book to be signed looks like it will be timeconsuming, ask the festival’s bookstore if they have pre-signed copies of the book you’re looking for. They should have a bunch from some of the festival’s biggest guest authors.
Information: www.emirateslitfest.com
