A popular Saudi Arabian doctor who overcame Covid-19 said the experience changed his life.
Dr Nezar Bahabri, an infectious diseases consultant at Dr Soliman Fakeeh Hospital in Jeddah, tested positive for the virus on July 25.
He had spent the previous few months on the frontlines of the pandemic treating hundreds of coronavirus patients.
Dr Bahabri, 49, said the experience taught him that doctors need to be more sensitive while delivering bad news.
"I tell my patients we are in this together. I came out of this and so will they
"Being blunt is an unacceptable way of delivering bad news," he said. "Please remember it's always about giving people hope though the mortality rate can be high."
Speaking at the UAE Infectious Diseases Week conference on his experiences with Covid-19, he said it was crucial for doctors to give patients hope.
Dr Bahabri, who has a massive following of nearly 130,000 subscribers on You Tube and close to 30,000 on Instagram, also urged doctors to take care of their own health.
"I joke with my patients and tell them we are in this together," he said. "I tell them I came out of this and so will they."
Three months since he became sick, Dr Bahabri still feels short of breath and carries a portable oxygen tank everywhere.
Dr Bahabri decided against going on the ventilator when he was a patient and chose "prone positioning" – where a person lies flat on their stomach.
This helps people who are struggling to breathe as it increase the amount of oxygen that gets in to their lungs. These experiences have changed how he dealt with patients.
"I started learning how difficult the disease could be. I could not even walk to the toilet without oxygen."
Saudi Arabia has recorded more than 343,000 coronavirus cases and he urged his fellow doctors to focus on people rather than simply treating a disease.
"Earlier I never thought of asking patients if we could make things easier for them or how we could make them happier."
“My nurse was my smile in the morning and the one who would give me hope. She was the real saviour."
Dr Bahabri's message to doctors, meanwhile, is to get some rest as stress reduces immunity.
He said doctors often forgot about their own health.
"I worked continuously for two months without taking even a day off. Everyone told me to rest but I could not because I felt responsible for my patients.
"Take a few days off and relax. Then, go back and serve."
The conference heard from another prominent Saudi doctor, Dr Ziad Memish, the kingdom's former deputy minister of public health, who said the second wave of Covid-19 hit the Middle East in early October.
Despite this, Dr Bahabri remains optimistic.
"Three months ago, I was not able to walk for a metre but now, with time and exercise, I can walk for three minutes."
He cautioned that some patients will suffer for years but urged people to remain optimistic.
"I take everything that I was not able to do a month ago and am able to do now as a positive sign."
Breast cancer in men: the facts
1) Breast cancer is men is rare but can develop rapidly. It usually occurs in those over the ages of 60, but can occasionally affect younger men.
2) Symptoms can include a lump, discharge, swollen glands or a rash.
3) People with a history of cancer in the family can be more susceptible.
4) Treatments include surgery and chemotherapy but early diagnosis is the key.
5) Anyone concerned is urged to contact their doctor
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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