ABU DHABI, (Pakistan Point News - 18th Jan, 2021) "Like the Big Heart Foundation, Sharjah has a big heart. It cares not only for its citizens, but also for expatriates and visitors. Improving the plight of the aged is very much on its radar: it is specially concerned about the elderly and the sick, and those who, for some reason or the other, have no family member around to take care of them," said a UAE daily.
In an editorial on Monday, Gulf Today added, "In this respect, Sharjah has doubled down and enhanced its welfare measures owing to the coronavirus pandemic."
The paper explained, "Based on the directives of H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, to look after the aged and meet their needs, the Sharjah Municipality announced that the elderly in Sharjah would be exempted from public parking fees.
"The elderly would be provided free annual subscriptions that allow them to park in all the city’s car parks at all times.
"Free subscriptions would be issued for as many as 3,000 elderly people on the municipality’s website starting from 19th January, at an estimated value of AED7 million."
Meanwhile, Khalid Bin Falah Al Suwaidi, Assistant Director-General for Customer Service Sector, explained that this initiative reflects "the municipality’s keenness to look after the elderly, meet their needs and overcome all the obstacles."
The editorial continued, "This is not the only move that Sharjah has done to make life comfortable for the elderly. The emirate has also launched the home vaccination initiative for the elderly. Family members can book an appointment for home vaccination for elderly citizens on the 800700 toll-free number.
"The Sharjah Department of Social Services said that it has begun receiving applications for vaccination of COVID-19 for senior citizens, including the differently-abled, the mentally disturbed, and their families at home. The Department has completed the training of the medical staff in cooperation with the Primary healthcare centres on the approved medical procedures for vaccination in all cities of the emirate, where the home vaccination service will be provided.
"It is not just the elderly who are taken care of. Afaf Ibrahim Al Marri, Head of the Department of Social Services, member of the Executive Council of Sharjah, said that through the Department of Services for senior citizens, differently-abled, psychiatric patients and their families will receive the service in Sharjah. 'We encourage all members of the community to get the vaccine'."
The Social Services Department branches are in Al Dhaid, Al Madam, Al Bataih, Mlieha, Khorfakkan, Kalba, Dibba Al Hisn, and Al Hamriya.
"A report last year said the mobile clinics unit under the Home Care Department at Sharjah Social Services Department, provided over 300 treatment and health services, with field trips to elderly, bed-ridden and differently-abled people at homes in the Emirate of Sharjah and its cities," the paper noted.
"All this is because the leaders are very concerned about the uplift of their citizens. They are wellsprings of magnanimity and looking after the people’s wellbeing is the central theme of their policy," the Sharjah-based daily said in conclusion.
