When the pandemic struck, Dr Lolwa Ahmed Al Ali was busy taking care of her newborn son. Prioritizing her duties towards nations, the doctor decided to be on frontline and stay away from her baby and family.

“It was a very difficult decision, yet it’s a sacrifice that I had to make. As a frontline worker, my top priority is the safety of my community. It was also in response to the call from our great leaders who worked hard to ensure that everyone was safe,” said Al Ali, the clinic manager at Al Falah and Al Samha Healthcare centres in Abu Dhabi. Dr. Al Ali has been working as site manager at the SEHA drive-through screening centre, Al Masoudi, during the pandemic. She is also monitoring the Covid-19 vaccine trials at the site.

Acknowledging sacrifices of other healthcare professionals Dr Al Ali said, “They have small children, so they have chosen to stay in hotels with other healthcare workers. As frontline heroes, we are ready to do our best to save and protect our community.”

The doctor notes that biggest challenge during pandemic has been to keep her team and community safe. She said, “We have endeavoured to ensure that best quality indicators and infection control measures are implemented.”

The sacrifice has come along with long working hours, stress and anxiety, wearing PPE for long grueling hours. Dr Al Ali said, “However, we were able to manage all these, with the support of our leaders and supervisors.”

Al Ali notes that serving as a proud Emirati doctor is all because “the UAE’s leaders have given us huge motivation throughout the pandemic.”

“His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, was constantly monitoring the situation and conducting regular meetings with different entities to know what has been achieved and how the nation will end the pandemic and move forward,” said Al Ali.

She added, “What motivated me the most were his words to the nation. He said: ‘Medicine and food is a red line for us and don’t worry’. As frontliners, that assurance gave us a huge boost to work hard to keep the UAE community safe and secure.”