Photo has been used for illustrative purpose.

Mariecar Jara-Puyod, Senior Reporter

The Dubai Healthcare City Authority (DHCA) which operates and manages the Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) free zone launched on Tuesday its special funding program for patients of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

The COVID-19 Fund is in partnership with the Al Jalila Foundation of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives.

A memorandum of agreement was signed early this week between DHCA chief executive officer Jamal Abdulsalam and Al Jalila Foundation chief executive officer Dr. Abdulkareem Sultan Al Olama.

Among the target recipients of the fund which hopefully would be coming from

UAE residents, are three multi-specialty hospitals within the free zone. These three are the Emirates Specialty Hospital, Mediclinic City Hospital and the Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Hospital. These, since beginning April, have been admitting COVID19 patients of various situations and severity.

These three with a total bed capacity of 400 “(have been providing) essential infrastructure, equipment, supplies and workforce.”

The fund, the repository of which is the Al Jalila Foundation and which donors may enquire about over DHCAFund@dhca.gov.ae as well as over https://www.dhcr.gov.ae/en/covid-19#Fund Btn is the second pandemic-related project of DHCA.

The first, opened to the public almost over a fortnight back was the Volunteering Program which encourages unlicensed and licensed medical practitioners and healthcare workers to sign up for scheduled volunteer work at the three DHCC hospitals.

Abdulsalam and Al Olama expressed hope that UAE residents respond positively and through the “spirit of collaboration” help with the “relief efforts.”

In another health news, the Zulekha Healthcare Group expanded its COVID19 telemedicine services to include parents of children of determination this Holy Month of Ramadan.

Medical specialists will be on board to answer questions and concerns of these parents and children 24-7 inasmuch as for this year and due to the virus that has established physical distancing as among the new lifestyle, the annual Ramadan party for this special group could not be realized.