Amid virus darkness, UAE is a torchbearer of help

The UAE has emerged as the quintessential saviour for the distressed, particularly in these coronavirus times. The medical aid that was sent by the UAE to the world has reached 1,392 tonnes benefiting 118 countries through 144 flights. The aid included personal protection equipment, medical and food items, personal and preventive protection tools, and diagnostic devices for COVID-19, which supported more than 1.3 million people working in the medical sector.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation explained that the UAE aims at strengthening the global humanitarian efforts to curb the spread of the virus since the beginning of the pandemic.

“The UAE is considered the region’s largest provider of aid in combating the virus, striving to ensure that its relief reaches countries in need regardless of any consideration,” the Ministry added.

The UAE provided assistance to several countries including China, Italy, the United Kingdom, Iran, Pakistan, Brazil, Russia, Yemen and Afghanistan, among others.

The UAE recently sent an aid plane, containing 7 tonnes of medical supplies and screening devices to Argentina, to support the efforts of 7,000 health workers and to enhance their capabilities to combat the spread of the coronavirus. It also dispatched a plane, carrying 14 tonnes of medical supplies to Colombia, which would benefit 14,000 frontline workers to enhance their efforts to curb the spread of the virus. Earlier, it sent three aircraft carrying 26.7 tonnes of medical aid, including personal protection equipment, and more than 200,000 screening devices for COVID-19, supporting more than 30,000 of medical workers.

The best part is that the aid is not going once to a particular nation but several times. Take for instance Kazakhstan. The UAE sent a third aid plane, carrying 16.5 tonnes of medical supplies and testing devices to Kazakhstan, to support it in curbing the spread of the coronavirus, and to support more than 16,000 health workers to enhance their efforts to contain the spread of the virus.

Immediately after the tragedy in Beirut, the UAE had dispatched the first consignment of emergency medical assistance to Lebanon to help healthcare facilities treat victims of the massive explosions. The assistance, which included medicines and medical supplies, reflects the UAE’s solidarity with the brotherly Lebanese people.

The medical aid comprised 12 tonnes of testing devices and medical supplies to support medical workers, personal hygiene and prevention tools, and COVID-19 diagnostic devices. These medical supplies will enable more than 10,000 medical frontline workers to perform their duties and reinforce their efforts to contain the coronavirus.

As if this were not enough, the UAE dispatched more aid to Lebanon to help emergency relief efforts in Beirut. Dubai’s International Humanitarian City, IHC, airlifted aid material worth US$1.4 million on an Emirates SkyCargo plane. The aid included almost 25 metric tonnes of medical supplies and personal protective equipment, PPE, including surgical masks, goggles, gowns, coveralls, N95 respirators, stretchers and thermometers, which had been prepositioned within International Humanitarian City by the World Health Organisation.

The UAE even sent an aid plane, carrying 16 metric tonnes of urgent medical supplies to Iran to bolster the country’s efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19.

This aid will assist approximately 16,000 medical professionals as they work to contain the virus.

Distance is hardly a hurdle for those wishing to help. The UAE sent an aid plane carrying 12.5 metric tonnes of medical supplies and 500,000 rapid testing kits for 14 Caribbean island states, including: Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, in addition to the UK overseas territory Montserrat, in cooperation with Barbados as a hub for distribution and through the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency.

This aid will assist approximately 12,500 medical professionals and other individuals as they work to contain the spread of COVID-19.