How UAE concretely support frontline healthcare workers

 The sons of frontline healthcare professionals in the United Arab Emirates are saving tens of thousands of dirhams a year on school fees, thanks to scholarships across the country’s public schools. In early September, the UAE launched a new initiative, called “Hayyakum,” aiming to remove some of the financial burden experienced by many frontline healthcare professionals and encourage them to keep their jobs. Around 1,850 children have already received the scholarships, which cover the costs of tuition, transportation, and laptops. According to The National, almost 2,000 medics treating Covid-19 patients have enrolled in the Hayyakum program.

Dr Abeer Darwish, a Syrian paediatrician at Mediclinic Al Mussaffah in Abu Dhabi, looked after kids with COVID-19 while also carrying out her daily responsibilities. Two of her five children, Rand, 8, and Raghad, 12, are enrolled under the initiative and have initiated studies at Maryam Bin Omran School and Madinat Baniyas School in grades 3 and 7, respectively. According to The National newspaper, she is saving today Dh40,000 yearly, which is a big amount in the Emirates.

“We, at the Frontline Heroes Office, hope to provide the same level of support and compassion that those on the frontline have provided to millions of people across our nation,” Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al-Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of the Frontline Heroes Office, previously said. The Frontline Heroes Office is an organization set in July 2020 to support medical and healthcare, fighting on the UAE’s frontline against the new coronavirus. “We wish their children every success as they embark upon a new school year, and we look forward to watching them follow in their parents’ footsteps to become outstanding members of society,” Al-Nahyan continued.

The scholarships will cover the cost of tuition, laptops, and transportation for schoolchildren until they graduate from high school. The program includes learning only in public schools. Between school fees, house rent, and other bills, outcomes often pass what two doctors can afford. The UAE’s Education Minister, Hussain bin Ibrahim Al-Hammadi, described the grant as a real example of community solidarity. “The Ministry of Education seeks to directly provide educational support for the children of frontline healthcare professionals so they can continue their invaluable and noble work,” he said announcing the Hayyakum program.

Not only solidarity, but also a big thank you from the Emirati leadership and community to doctors and nurses who risked their lives for everyone's health. It is good to remember that the UAE is the country that has conducted more tests in the region and the world, as well as successfully tested innovative treatments and protocols followed today all over the world. The COVID-19 vaccine presented last month has entered its final testing phase.