Hessa Buhumaid oversees basic clinical skills workshops for the medical staff assistant volunteers

Hessa Buhuamid: Workshops aren’t just a volunteering mission, it’s a sustainable plan for specialization

Saeed Ghabash: UAEU supports volunteering in line with our wise leadership’s vision to promote this culture

H.E. Hessa Bint Essa Buhumaid, Minister of Community Development, witnessed the “Basic Clinical Skills” workshops organized by the United Arab Emirates University in line with it’s role to support the voluntary initiative “The Assistant Volunteer For Medical Staff” as part of its participation in the national initiative for the training of specialized volunteers to support medical and patients staff across the nation. This is one of the volunteer opportunities that target citizens and residents under the umbrella of the national campaign #UAE_Volunteers to support field efforts in combating the spread of Covid-19.

His Excellency Saeed Ahmed Ghobash, UAEU Chancellor also witnessed the workshops in the attendance of Dr. Ghaleb Ali Al Beriki, Acting Director of the university, strategic partners representatives, government agencies in the country, Emirates Foundation, and members of UAEU faculty, and volunteers from across the Emirates at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences.

H.E. Hessa Bint Essa Buhuamid, Minister of Community Development stressed on the importance of holding these training workshops to help maintain the safety of the UAE community, since these courses aren’t a long term volunteer task but rather a sustainable idea for specialization to assume national responsibilities to support the medical staff to cope with the pandemic so that everyone enjoys safety.

H.E. also added addressing the participants in this initiative: “We are confident of your capabilities and skills and hold you to this national responsibility to play this important role”. H.E. assured that The Ministry of Health and Prevention, the government agencies and the institutions concerned will work to promote the success of these workshops and specialized training courses to train volunteers from citizens and residents to perform this role in an optimal and safe way. She thanked the UAE University for its leading, national and positive role and its active contribution to strengthening the country's efforts to protect all the communities in the UAE from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

H.E. Ahmed Ghobash, UAEU Chancellor said: “We can’t stress enough on the importance of positive cooperation with government institutions and strategic partners in implementing this national program and specialized training workshops to enhance our national medical teams skills to participate in protecting our society through the training and medical simulation center in the faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences in the UAEU; which is doing a great job especially in these challenging times while the world faces the pandemic of Covid-19”. H.E. stressed on the culture of volunteerism supported and promoted by the United Arab Emirates University among its community in keeping with the vision of our wise leadership to promote the concept of volunteerism across the nation. H.E. Ghobash thanked all the strategic partners, staff members, and volunteers for their outstanding role in strengthening medical staff efforts and the first line defence to combat the spread of Covid-19 pandemic.

During the workshop, Dr.Ali Al Fazari, Director of the Training and Medical Simulation Center, reviewed several different courses and training solutions for volunteers, including screening, patient evaluation, taking vital signs, first aid and CPR. He also reviewed via video technology with participants the importance of effective communication with people who are infected with Covid-19, as well as effective communication skills with volunteers and the medical staff. He informed the participants about Covid-19 infection prevention skills, how to deal with medical waste and the work skills of medical surveys through smart and many other medical, administrative, and technical skills.

Dr. Al Fazari said: “The Training and Simulation Center at the faculty of Medicine of UAEU is continuously seeking to strengthen strategic partnership with authorities and institutions by providing specialized training courses to equip volunteers with the necessary skills as needed in the field, especially in field hospitals to support medical staff. This will be directly reflected in reducing the non-essential burdens of medical staff, where the trainees perform tasks and assign medical teams, and take part in this responsibility”. He pointed out that the training curriculum was chosen according to the stations and based on studying the needs of the medical sector in the country to reinforce the joint work efforts and create an administrative and technical medical work model to support the medical teams and their persistence in combating Covid-19.

The UAEU Training and Medical Simulations Center seeks to be a scientific and training platform for the UAE community through various specialized and technical field training workshops and courses to obtain field training results, including improving the feedback and developing future training programs for volunteers in the country. This will enhance the skills of individuals in the future, to face other medical crises and challenges.