On the occasion of the UAE’s Year of the 50th, Mohammed Hassan Al Zaabi, SEHA’s Group Chief Facilities & Maintenance Officer, highlighted the achievements of the SEHA group in the past two years along with future plans. In an editorial, the official underlined that the last two years were testing for the people of the UAE and the world. In the efforts against crisis, the UAE reassessed every step with granularity and kept pace with the fast-moving healthcare and public safety landscape.

"As we celebrate the Year of the 50th, we are reminded to reflect, acknowledge, and appreciate the great strides we have made, and the great efforts of our nation’s leaders," Al Zaabi added.

SEHA is the largest and most comprehensive healthcare network in UAE. During the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, the SEHA positioned itself as a key player in Abu Dhabi’s reform to strengthen the healthcare sector and ensure the continuity of fulfilling its responsibility for public clinics and hospitals.

"Our goal is to make public healthcare delivery in line with the highest international standards, and further position Abu Dhabi as a leading medical destination," he added.

SEHA's appointment by the Department of Health Abu Dhabi to spearhead the COVID-19 fight in the emirate is a strong testament to the DOH's trust in its facilities and response efforts to combat the ongoing challenges posed by the pandemic. On March 29, 2020, SEHA launched the country’s first drive-through COVID-19 testing facility. It set the tone for other authorities involved in the national emergency response against the pandemic. These efforts helped the UAE in achieving the fifth position globally to rapid the measures of rapid screening.

"To speak candidly, the pressure was on the moment we were appointed, but I never had any doubt of SEHA’s ability in exceeding the needs of Abu Dhabi and beyond," Al Zaabi highlighted.

SEHA designed and instituted new medical facilities, coordinated their workflow, and implemented various effective measures to overcome the crisis. Some of the measures included the provision of equipment for ADNEC’s field hospital (equipped with 1,000 beds), Mohammed Bin Zayed City field hospital (1,200 beds), Dubai Parks & Resort which set up a 1,200-bed field hospital, Tawam Field Hospital, and several other initiatives.

SEHA also prioritised the establishment of new isolation and intensive care rooms to manage any sudden influx of patients throughout the pandemic. The organisation ensured the provision of the highest quality care to patients through its fully-equipped Al Rahba Hospital. With isolation rooms and intensive care rooms with all necessary equipment for advance care, the hospital is specially designed to treat high-risk patients. Furthermore, fully equipped isolation rooms were set up at Mafraq Hospital, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Madinat Zayed Hospital, Al Tawam Hospital, and Al Ain Hospital. In addition, SEHA established field hospitals in Ajman, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah, with an increased capacity of more than 200 beds for intensive care in every hospital. According to the official, it was one of the most difficult projects as it required the installation of special equipment found in only existing hospitals across the country.

Furthermore, SEHA established 13 national screening centers and ADNEC vaccination center. It coordinated and collaborated with Madinat Zayed Hospital’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive (CBRNE) facility to manage contaminated cases. The official affirmed that all these projects were implemented in line with the highest government standards.

"Words cannot express our excitement towards the next 50 years. Looking back at all we have achieved in just the last two, the UAE will continue to inspire and encourage excellence in every endeavour. We will carry on with our work in full confidence that our facilities, teams, and leadership are working for the benefit of the UAE," Al Zaabi concluded.

WAM