DUBAI’S HUMANITARIAN GROUPS FACE HIGH DEMAND FOR HELP DUE TO VIRUS
▶ Organisations have delivered food, medical supplies and financial aid to thousands in the UAE and beyond
Humanitarian organisations are under pressure like never before as they try to help millions of people whose lives have been turned upside down by the Covid-19 outbreak.
In the UAE, several groups provide relief to people who have lost their jobs, or cannot afford to pay for medical treatment or an education.
The National spoke to three organisations in Dubai that have played crucial roles during the outbreak.
The groups are part of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, a project that focuses on helping people across society.
One of the groups, the International Humanitarian City, is the world’s largest humanitarian logistics centre and helps to organise the first response to a global crisis.
Since the beginning of the year, the group has sent more than 365 shipments of medical supplies to more than 100 countries.
Of those shipments, 278 were sent to help healthcare workers treat Covid-19 patients, with the majority of supplies distributed in collaboration with the World Health Organisation.
“When the emergency started, the IHC members had some of their stock items ready,” said Bouran Najem, head of the operations at the Dubai group.
“The simple reasons behind that are the lessons learnt from Ebola, Sars and other emergencies, which recommended prioritising personal protective equipment and other protective items.
“This enabled the IHC to respond to the very first wave of demands in late 2019.”
So far this year, the group has recorded about a 30 per cent increase in the number of shipments sent out compared with the same period last year.
Flight restrictions and a scarcity of storage space added to the challenges facing IHC members as they worked to cope with the increase in demand for aid.
Among the solutions the group came up with was the creation of refrigerated cells that allowed members to expand the amount of storage space available for supplies.
The group also used chartered flights to meet the increasing demand during the outbreak.
“The challenges on the supply chain are a consequence of aircraft being grounded and the limited capacity of the cargo companies,” said Ms Najem.
Another group, Al Jalila Foundation, provides support to UAE residents who cannot afford treatment for life-threatening illnesses.
A large number of people are facing unemployment and salary cuts because of the pandemic, leaving them without the means to pay for crucial medical care.
This year, the foundation has helped about 100 people, including 60 children, pay medical bills of up to Dh7 million.
Ayesha Shahdad, who heads Al Jalila’s treatment programme, Aawen, said one of the patients the group helped was a Nigerian resident, 35, who needed dialysis.
Ms Shahdad said the woman required help paying for the treatment after her husband lost his job because of the outbreak.
“She used to be fine financially because her husband was employed and he, along with some family and friends, were paying for her treatment,” said Ms Shahdad.
“This year, her husband’s company temporarily closed because it was located in Al Ras, which was the area where travel was restricted by authorities for the sterilisation programme.”
Ms Shahdad said the group had received about 500 applications for aid since the beginning of the year, a significant increase from previous years.
Many applicants said financial struggles caused by the pandemic were a reason they could not afford treatment.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment, meanwhile, has launched initiatives to support low-income workers across the country during the pandemic.
So far, the organisation has helped about 16,250 workers through projects such as distributing food. Mohammed Ahmed Al Hammadi, head of relief and foreign aid at the group, said it gave 379,250 meals to 15,150 workers by the end of Ramadan.
However, volunteers and officials at the organisation faced difficulties as they tried to help all those in need, he said.
“We faced challenges as the crowds of workers pushed through once the food arrived, which compromised the safety guidelines and rules of social distancing to avoid the spread of the virus,” said Mr Al Hammadi.
“However, with proper management, supervision, co-ordination and awareness, we were able to facilitate an effective food distribution process at the camps.”
He said another challenge the organisation encountered was how to ensure the meals catered to the different tastes and cultures of the workers who received them.
The group also provided protective gear to ensure safety precautions were followed while distributing food.
Volunteers and officials also delivered blankets and pillows to more than 500 workers.
“Through providing assistance, we aim to alleviate the suffering of those most affected by the Covid-19 outbreak,” said Mr Al Hammadi.
“We seek to reduce the pandemic’s negative social and economic repercussions on the most vulnerable segments of society by safeguarding their lives and easing their financial burden, especially among workers who are most in need of support at this time.”
The organisation’s focus will now shift to supporting medical efforts and frontline workers in the country, as well as providing aid to low-income groups.
When the emergency started, IHC members were ready because of the lessons learnt from Ebola and Sars BOURAN NAJEM International Humanitarian City