Dubai Police officials handover a box of 3D printed face mask buckle to DHA officials.

In recognition of their continuous efforts to keep the COVID-19 pandemic at bay, Dubai Police have recently supported employees of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) medical laboratories with 1500 3D-printed face mask buckles.

The thank-you initiative was launched upon the directives of Dubai Police's Commander-in-chief, Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, and carried out by the Dubai Police Innovation Council.

Major Khalid Khalifa Al Mazrouei, Vice President of Dubai Police Innovation Council, headed the force's delegation to DHA's labs and provided the emirate's front-line heroes with an add on plastic accessory to the ear-loop face masks.

During the visit, Major Al Mazrouei extended the force's thanks to all the brave heroes on the front lines at the laboratories of DHA and Medical Services who are risking their own lives to protect the nation against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Widad Saleh Al Hammadi, Secretary-General of the Dubai Innovation Council, said the Dubai Police Innovation Lab had initially provided 3000 mask buckles to the Dubai Police frontlines employees.

"Today, the Lab provides employees at the laboratories of Health Authority and Medical Services with 1500 buckles, and soon we will make sure these buckles are distributed among various governmental entities to make face masks more comfortable on ears," Al Hammadi added.

Printed by the Dubai Police Innovation Lab, the 3D printed buckles resolve issues of wearability and the irritation behind the ear when face masks are worn for long periods. The buckles also can be of convenience for headscarf wearers, as it helps wearers to quickly put face masks on or to take it off without the need to take off their headscarf.

For their part, Employee of DHA and Medical Services Laboratories expressed their gratitude and thanks to Dubai Police for their gesture and appreciation they have shown to the nation's first line of defence.