...MY NEIGHBOUR!
Decima wanted to thank Dr Jamal Rifi for his oneman mission to protect the community from COVID
Sydney doctor Jamal Rifi should be behind the wheel of his campervan, driving around Australia with his wife Lana by his side.
Instead, his retirement plans remain on hold until he sees his south-western Sydney community protected from COVID-19.
Having given over his front yard for more than a year to establish a testing clinic and now vaccination hub for residents, Dr Rifi has saved hundreds of lives.
It was seeing this singlehanded effort that led former nurse and now writer Decima Wraxall, 81, to thank Dr Rifi.
“He has put so much into the community,” says Decima. “He’s an inspiration, and his achievements are a tribute to our wonderful immigrants.”
Decima saw Dr Rifi on ABC’S Australian Story and was reminded of their professional association at the Belmore nursing home where she worked as a registered nurse and he would attend to patients.
She believes his efforts in protecting the community from COVID went “above and beyond the call of duty”.
“I was very impressed,” she says. “I thought that his work was so outstanding that it deserved more recognition.
Dr Rifi says, “It’s a privilege and an honour to be nominated.”
But, he adds, there is more work to be done as Sydney exits lockdown and the rest of Australia opens up.
“The mission hasn’t finished yet.”