Doctor swaps warzone for Covid-19 frontline
AFTER working to help casualties in the besieged city of Aleppo, Dr Ahmad Alomar has learnt how to cope well in a crisis.
He says his experiences back home in Syria have equipped him with techniques that are helping him to fight the Covid-19 pandemic here in the UK.
“We had to work in very difficult situations in Syria. I have learned how to cope with stress,” he said.
Dr Alomar – a diabetes specialist – arrived in the UK from his war-torn home country in 2014 seeking refuge. His wife and daughters came over the following year.
Despite having worked for many years as a medic in Syria, Dr Alomar had to take a series of exams before he could continue his career here in the UK. Since September, he has been working at the Royal Oldham Hospital in a job he loves.
“At the beginning of this pandemic we were all scared to get infections, which is in our nature,” he said. “We didn’t want to pass it to our families and didn’t want to pass it to the community. But my point of view is that we are health professionals, we are here to save lives, improve quality of life and ease the pain and help the patients. We should think of this. I think we should have some fear and do everything possible to protect yourself, but without letting this fear overwhelm you and prevent you from doing your job.
“You have to be very alert and you have to do your job properly. You can’t stand away when the patient needs your help. Think how this patient will feel after they have been treated.”
So how does working in the NHS compare with working in Syria’s hospitals?
“The health system in the UK is one of the best in the world,” he said.
“Here it’s not just that we treat the patients medically, we also look after social issues, mental health and financial issues. We work as a team - a multidisciplinary team.”
Though he hopes to one day return, his new life is here in Greater Manchester, he says. “We’re very lucky and we’re staying here,” he said. “My daughters are receiving the best education. I’m very lucky to be here because the UK people did a lot for me and helped me a lot. I have received such kindness. This is a great opportunity at Oldham because everyone here is very supportive.”