Photo has been used for illustrative purposes.

Jamil Khan, Senior Reporter

The medical professionals as well as volunteers from the Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD) are also participating in the ongoing drive against coronavirus in Dubai.

“As the local authorities of the UAE are making all efforts to keep the COVID-19 at bay, the Pakistan Association Dubai has joined hands with various other organisations to serve at a COVID centre at Dubai Healthcare Authority’s facilities,” said Dr. Nighat Aftab, President Medical Wing of the association.

Through its strong database of volunteers, the Medical wing of PAD has managed to assist the DHA authorities with doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals. These healthcare professionals are serving at the COVID centre at one of the isolation facilities of DHA.

The community centre sent out an appeal for healthcare volunteers two weeks back.

“Two hundred people came forward to offer their services to a country that is a second home to Pakistanis. As healthcare professionals it is our responsibility to serve our people in this hour of need without a second thought,” she said.

“We are proud to say that as a community organisation we have adopted a unit which can serve approx five hundred infected people at one time,” noted Dr. Faisel Ikram, President PAD who is personally volunteering his services at the same facility.

“These are testing times, we believe in growing together and this is a perfect gesture from the Pakistani community to express solidarity with the United Arab Emirates; the country which has provided livelihoods to so many Pakistanis,” added Dr. Ikram.

The members of PAD will join hands and fulfil all the requirements. The  community has always believed in social cohesion and tolerance. In the last ten years of free medical camps at PAD, patients of all nationalities have been served without discrimination.

“We will continue to do whatever we can to support the authorities to beat COVID19, volunteering is the backbone of PAD,” asserted Dr. Ikram urging the Pakistani community to come forward and support the cause.