ABU DHABI, (Pakistan Point News - 28th Apr, 2020) Abu Dhabi Health Services Company, SEHA, has completed around 20,000 coronavirus tests for mall and shop employees across the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
The initiative of SEHA, the UAE’s largest healthcare network, also enhanced the employees’ awareness about COVID-19, its symptoms and how to appropriately follow the outlined precautionary measures, said a SEHA press release issued on Tuesday.
This was done in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, ADDED, who issued a circular to reopen shopping malls in adherence to strict guidelines for the health and safety of employees, under the instruction of the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority, NCEMA.
Mohammed Hawas Al Sadid, CEO of Ambulatory Healthcare Services at SEHA, said, "Since the outbreak of COVID-19, we have been working closely with the UAE’s leadership and other government entities to minimise the spread of the virus and protect our community.
"As the Emirate of Abu Dhabi now prepares for its shopping malls to reopen, the safety and wellbeing of their employees and the community of Abu Dhabi remains our top priority," he said.
Al Sadid added, "Our network, facilities and professionals are committed to ensure the re-opening of malls is in adherence to the guidelines and precautionary measures established by ADDED."
The mall and shop employees visited seven of SEHA’s drive-through screening facilities across the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, located in Abu Dhabi city, Al Wathba, Al Bahia, Al Ain and Al Dhafra over the weekend to undergo the COVID-19 test and ensure they are healthy before returning to work.
In addition to completing the COVID-19 test, employees were educated on the importance of social distancing, regular sanitisation, the appropriate use of masks and gloves and temperature checks for themselves and their customers.
Dr. Noura Al Ghaithi, Chief Operations Officer of Ambulatory Healthcare Services at SEHA, said, "In line with the direction of our leaders to reopen shopping malls as we embark on the Holy Month of Ramadan, our medical and administrative teams worked round the clock over the weekend to ensure all mall and shop employees are not infected with the virus and understand how to best manage their stores and malls to keep themselves and shoppers protected."
Other initiatives introduced by SEHA in the response to the COVID-19 outbreak include the establishment of three field hospitals in preparedness for a potential influx of confirmed cases and the designation and preparation of certain hospitals as facilities to exclusively treat and quarantine coronavirus patients.
SEHA has also rolled out 14 drive-through testing facilities across the nation and the testing of the thousands of workers in their residents across Abu Dhabi, said the press release.
