Abu Dhabi: The Department of Health, Abu Dhabi (DoH) and Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA) announced that the field hospital in ADNEC is now free of COVID-19 cases, as a result of consistent efforts from Abu Dhabi's health sector and the National Screening Programme's early detection mechanisms, which have drastically reduced the number of cases requiring medical care.

The field hospital, which was established in line with the emirate's healthcare sector's efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus, provides advanced healthcare for patients, and offers sophisticated infrastructure that remains in place to handle any health requirements.

Rashid Al Qubaisi, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of SEHA, said: "Under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, we established the Field Hospital and worked closely with DoH, and the national screening centers across the UAE, throughout March, to treat patients impacted by coronavirus. We were able to successfully invest our resources in conducting the necessary screenings to detect members of the public with coronavirus. At the beginning of May 2020, Field Hospitals in different regions were prepared to isolate members of the public who tested positive for COVID-19, in addition to providing them with appropriate treatment.

Al Qubaisi added: SEHA represents the cornerstone of the healthcare sector in the UAE and the Middle East; it is also a pivotal pillar in the Abu Dhabi healthcare system with its in-depth experiences in the field of advanced healthcare, wherein it has been a leading healthcare entity in combatting current challenges."

The field hospital established at ADNEC covers an area of 31,000 square meters and is an integrated hospital containing the necessary medical equipment to treat patients; this includes a pharmacy, radiology departments and laboratories. The hospital has a capacity of 1,000 patients and is managed by a medical staff of 73 doctors, consultants and among others.

Dr. Aref Ali Al Shehhi, Senior Advisor in the Office of the CEO of SEHA, who managed the field hospital at ADNEC, confirmed that the hospital was equipped with medical facilities to deal with coronavirus cases. The medical staff consisted of approximately 260 nurses, a support team of 268 people, 9 technicians in the radiology department, 9 pharmacists, and 8 technicians, as well as 30 UAE Red Crescent volunteers.

The field hospital contained 48 beds for critical cases and was managed by an operations centre that supervised the development, implementation and communication of plans with other hospitals, in addition to providing support for medical teams at other hospitals, in line international standards for quality in healthcare. The medical staff from Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi (CCAD) also participated in managing the hospital in addition to supervising urgent cases.

Furthermore, a clinic for employees working on the front line of defense was also established in the field hospital at ADNEC to conduct periodic examinations and ensure their safety.

Dr. Al Shehhi also emphasised the strategies developed at the field hospital achieved positive results, wherein the hospital succeeded in providing advanced medical treatment for patients.

The establishment of the field hospital in ADNEC is within the framework of Abu Dhabi's efforts to provide patients with world-class healthcare. It has been equipped with quarantine rooms that include the latest recreational devices and facilities that meet the needs of the patients as well as complementary high-speed internet services, electronics and more. Patients also had the opportunity to participate in various recreational and sports activities organised by ADNEC during their treatment.

The field hospital was established through a partnership between SEHA and ADNEC as two subsidiaries of the holding company ADQ.