As part of UAE's ongoing efforts to vaccinate the maximum number of people against the COVID-19 virus, the DP World recently rolled out a vaccination drive for its employees and their families. DP World launched the initiative in line with the UAE Region's efforts to protect the interest of all employees across the country. At the same time, this initiative aims to ensure the continuity of business operations during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to keep the trade flowing.

UAE Region's leading smart trade enabler, DP World, has coordinated with the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) to set up two vaccination centres at the Jebel Ali Port which are being operated by Pure Health and Medi Q Healthcare. With their concerted efforts, the DP World, UAE Region and their skilled competencies accelerated the set-up and launch of these vaccination centres in a record time of five days.

With this vaccination drive, DP World aims to inoculate more than 10,000 employees and their families. As of now, an estimated 800 people are receiving the COVID-19 vaccine per day.

Speaking about the initiative, DP World CEO & Managing Director Mohammed Al Muallem said that the company seeks to ensure all efforts to make the vaccines available in order to combat the pandemic.

"In line with the directives of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai to speed up the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines around the world, and as part of the Vaccine Logistics Alliance, in which DP World plays a vital role, we aim to make the vaccines available wherever needed to combat the pandemic," he said.

Al Muallem further added that as a trade enabler, DP World has worked towards ensuring that trade kept flowing throughout the pandemic and people receive all essential supplies, including the vaccines.

Al Muallem expressed DP World's commitment to protect its employees against COVID-19 in the current circumstances. He further thanked and lauded the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP), Pure Health and Medi Q Healthcare for their continuous support and dedication to make the vaccination drive a success. He affirmed that more than 4.2 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the UAE, with the rate of 42.48 doses per 100 people.

"While we are faring exceptionally well, we must remember that combined efforts are the need of the hour, which will help us mitigate the impact of the virus," Al Muallem added.

Nabil Qayed, Director of People & General Administration - People Department, DP World, UAE Region, said that with the vaccination drive, the company administration is hoping to create a secure environment for the staff, noting that it is crucial to improve employee engagement, satisfaction and productivity during the critical environment.

"Our employees are our biggest asset. They work continuously to ensure that our operations are carried out uninterrupted, and their safety and well-being is always our top priority," Nabil Qayed said.

Recently, DP World and UNICEF announced a wide-ranging partnership with the aim of facilitating global distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and other related vaccination supplies in low-and lower-middle-income countries.

As part of this partnership, DP World will be using its ports and terminals, including the flagship Jebel Ali Port, to store, ship, and distribute auxiliary supplies required for COVID-19 vaccine campaigns, such as syringes and safety boxes, across the world.

WAM