UAE’s janitors and porters: the Covid-19 pandemic’s unsung heroes

Support staff in Dubai hospitals recognised for their invaluable contribution to the country's fight against coronavirus

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Cleaners, porters and other support staff in UAE hospitals are being recognised as faceless heroes for their work on the front lines during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Personal stories of workers are being shared to highlight their efforts, part of a campaign launched by Accumed Practice Management, a company that provides revenue cycle management solutions to the healthcare sector.

Several workers from hospitals in Dubai were nominated as faceless heroes and will receive $1,500 as a thank you.

The National spoke to some of the workers nominated.

Porter

When Mohsin Saleem, 23, moved to Dubai in February 2020 to work as a porter, he never thought he would be starting his new journey during a pandemic.

The Pakistani works at International Modern Hospital. His job requires him to move Covid-19 patients and supplies between wards and departments.

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES. 21 JANUARY 2021. Unsung Hero in the fight against Covid-19. Mohsin Saleem, Porter, of the International Modern Hospital in Dubai. (Photo: Antonie Robertson/The National) Journalist: Sarwat Nasir. Section: National.
Mohsin Saleem worked as a porter and transported Covid-19 patients between wards and departments. Antonie Robertson / The National 

"The nature of my job made it really scary for me, but I felt it was my duty to step up and offer all the help I could," he said.

“I’m the only one providing for my family back home, so I was praying for my health.”

Mr Saleem said there are several moments from last year that he “can never forget”, including helping a young cancer patient and a six-month-old baby with a Covid-19 test.

“It’s a terrible situation overall, but it’s extremely difficult to see vulnerable members of society – like the elderly and children – going through it,” he said.

“But, I put my fears and emotions aside and dedicated as much time as I could.”

Mr Saleem was not infected with the virus.

Housekeeper

Olatokunbo Victor Omosebi, 32, moved to Dubai from Nigeria a couple of years ago to find employment.

For the past three years, he has been working as a housekeeper at the Medstar Clinic Right Health in Dubai.

Mr Omosebi was working on the front line last year, cleaning all areas of the Covid-19 ward, including patient rooms, toilets and instruments, and making sure patients suffering from fevers were kept in different rooms.

Olatokunbo Victor Omosebi worked as a housekeeper at a Dubai hospital during the pandemic. Courtesy: Medstar Clinic Right Health
Olatokunbo Victor Omosebi worked as a housekeeper at a Dubai hospital during the pandemic. Courtesy: Medstar Clinic Right Health

“It’s an important job, but it was even more important during the pandemic because we have to keep everything really sanitised,” Mr Omosebi said.

“We were risking our health while doing our jobs, but we all had a duty to everyone who was coming to the hospital. I didn’t feel scared because I knew if I kept my PPE [personal protective equipment] on, I would be safe.”

Mr Omosebi was not infected with the virus.

Human resources deputy manager

Enosh Jogi, 27, was responsible for motivating and recruiting new staff at the International Modern Hospital during the pandemic.

Mr Jogi, from India, said hiring new doctors and nurses became difficult when travel restrictions were introduced.

“Internally, our staff were also detected as Covid-19 positive and we had to manage our critical departments with the available resources,” he said.

Enosh Jogi is the human resources deputy manager at a Dubai hospital, where he recruited and motivated staff during the pandemic. Courtesy: International Modern Hospital
Enosh Jogi is the human resources deputy manager at a Dubai hospital, where he recruited and motivated staff during the pandemic. Courtesy: International Modern Hospital

“We faced a challenging time because we were unable to recruit from outside the UAE. We had to look for options as soon as possible to make sure patient care was not affected in the hospital.”

Mr Jogi said another challenge was ensuring staff could get to and from work, because public transport was suspended during the restrictions last year.

Along with the hospital’s operations team, Mr Jogi helped implement a pick-and-drop system for staff.

“At the same time, it was my responsibility to make sure all the staff working on the front lines were motivated at all times,” he said. “We did this by having an appreciation programme and making sure that the entire staff had every resource needed to deliver excellent patient care.”

Mr Jogi tested positive for the virus last year, but continued working from home until it was safe for him to return to the hospital.

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