United Arab Emirates Fly 100 COVID-19 Heroes To Makkah To Increase Hajj

Illustration of pilgrims crowding the Grand Mosque in Makkah. (Wikimedia Commons/Adli Wahid)

JAKARTA - The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has flown 100 health workers struggling on the front lines of handling COVID-19 to Saudi Arabia to fulfill this year's Hajj.

This delivery is a tribute to hospital and clinic workers in the country who are tireless in handling the COVID-19 pandemic.

This trip was carried out under the direction of the Representative of the Ruler in the Al Dhafra Region as well as the Chairman of the Red Crescent of the Emirate Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed.

Delegation from Frontline Heroes Office left Abu Dhabi International Airport for Makkah on Saturday.

"In recognition of their efforts to serve the community, this pilgrimage mission consists of 100 heroes who worked on the front lines of the health sector during the COVID-19 outbreak," citing The National News of Wam 26 June.

Frontline Heroes Office was founded in July 2020, when hundreds of UAE residents are infected with COVID-19 every day.

Frontline Heroes Office aims to raise awareness of the key roles played by frontline workers during crisis and emergencies, while paying attention to their needs, handling their priorities and formulating strategies to support them.

In May 2020, then President Sheikh Mohamed, who served as Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, praised medical officers.

"God bless you all. I want to thank everyone in this (health) sector personally, but please convey my greetings to all of them," he said at the time.

"We are proud in front of the whole world about how we respond to this challenge. Today you are a source of pride in the UAE," he continued at the time.

In September 2021, The National reported that more than 1,800 frontline health workers have received scholarships under the Hayyakum grant scheme, giving them access to higher-quality education in public schools across the UAE.