While the Covid-19 pandemic is wreaking havoc globally, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has actively joined international efforts in providing humanitarian aid and other support to fight the pandemic.
| The UAE has actively joined international efforts in providing humanitarian aid and other support to fight the pandemic. |
So far, the UAE has provided 935 tons of medical and food aid, as well as 935,000 health workers to 65 countries and territories, including the UK, China, Iran and South Korea, among others, stated the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
In China, following the initial Covid-19 outbreak, the UAE provided medical supplies, including facemasks and gloves, to China.
On March 4, as part of the UAE’s Homeland of Humanity Initiative, the UAE evacuated 215 people of different nationalities from China's Hubei Province to the Emirates Humanitarian City in Abu Dhabi, where they received the necessary medical evaluation and care.
In UK, the UAE turned ExCeL London, the capital’s largest venue for exhibitions and conferences, into an emergency field hospital for the treatment of patients infected with COVID-19. Named the NHS Nightingale Hospital, the new facility will have a capacity of 4,000 beds and will be able to provide a comprehensive range of medical support facilities. The UAE is covering the costs associated with the operation of this center and is providing the center rent-free.
On June 5, the UAE donated 6.6 metric tons of material to the United Kingdom that will enable the country to produce millions of items of personal protective equipment (PPE).
In collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), the UAE sent an aircraft carrying 7.5 metric tons of medical supplies, as well as five WHO experts, to Iran on March 3 to help 15,000 healthcare workers and 100,000 workers.
In a March 15 call with Iran's Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan affirmed the UAE's support to the Iranian people as they manage this crisis. In the second supply of medical equipment to Iran on March 17, the UAE sent over 33 metric tons of critical medical supplies, including gloves and surgical masks, as well as other protective equipment. Aid to Iran was delivered with the aim of helping 33,000 healthcare workers.
Latest data from Johns Hopkins University showed the number of confirmed Covid-19 infection cases has now surpassed 8.44 million and 452,696 deaths.
The US continues to have the largest number of cases in the world with 2.26 million and 120,688 deaths as of today. Brazil, which shot up to second place for most cases, is closing in on 990,000 cases. It is currently at approximately 983,400 cases with almost 47,870 deaths.
Russia remains in third place with over 569,000 cases and about 7,841 deaths.
