ABU DHABI, (Pakistan Point News - 11th May, 2020) Sheikh Khalifa Medical City staff in Abu Dhabi will be provided with mental health and wellbeing support as part of separate in-kind contributions from three organisations to the Authority of Social Contribution - Ma’an’s ‘Together We Are Good’ programme.
A Ma’an press release on Sunday said the contributions are part of the ‘Mental Wellbeing Support for Medical Staff’ programme, a new key area of support that covers residents’ basic needs.
This will complement the existing education support, food supplies and medical services already being offered by the authority to people whose livelihoods have been impacted by the current health and economic situation, the authority explained.
The Hot House Yoga in Abu Dhabi, volunteering group Darkness into Light Abu Dhabi, and Aberkyn, McKinsey & Company, have stepped forward to offer their expertise and time to help the vital workforce at this challenging time.
Ma’an is delivering the support programme via social enterprises and organisations through its corporate social responsibilities.
As an institution that has been at the centre of treating patients during these unprecedented times in Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City was selected by Ma’an to benefit from its contributions in collaboration with Department of Health–Abu Dhabi, DoH, and Abu Dhabi Health Services Company, SEHA.
More than 400 employees will now get support by taking part in yoga sessions, and joining support groups designed in light-hearted, engaging methods.
The Hot House Yoga will conduct four sessions per week with six instructors delivering a series of yoga sessions, breathing techniques and meditation that aims to help reduce the staff’s stress from their daily lives.
Darkness into Light Abu Dhabi is to moderate weekly support group sessions to enhance the mental wellbeing of workers and boost morale by tackling the various challenges, fears and navigating through the situations faced on daily basis and will include guest appearances from the community.
Thirty-two members of staff will also receive dedicated training from two leading experts from Aberkyn, McKinsey & Company through 90-minute sessions on how to build team resilience and deep connections with self and others to remain healthy in relationships in our day-to-day practice as well as provide renewal, focus and energy.
The ‘Together We Are Good’ programme is the first project of Ma’an’s Social Fund that allows community contributions to help tackle social challenges. The Social Fund is the official government channel to receive contributions from the community to tackle pressing social challenges.
Since its launch, businesses and individuals have pulled together to donate funds while thousands of in-kind contributions have been received to help support citizens and residents in Abu Dhabi.
Dr. Maha Al Ameri, Operation Director in Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, said, "It was a great pleasure to work with the Ma’an team. We had a critical need for social outlets and initiatives to support our staff. Ma’an’s team have been so generous and resourceful.
"They have done amazing work in connecting us with some third-party organizations that will provide great resources in supporting the mental wellbeing of SKMC’s frontline staff," Dr. Maha said.
Salama Al Ameemi, Director General of Ma’an, said, "The medical workers at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City have been at the forefront of the responses to the present health challenges."
"We are now able to provide the necessary support to Sheikh Khalifa Medical City staff so they can improve their mental wellbeing. With these measures in place, it will help them significantly in overcoming the threat more swiftly," she said.
