On the 90th Saudi National Day, we are immensely grateful for the tireless work of all the healthcare workers on the ground. Since the pandemic broke out, doctors and nurses have been working around the clock putting their lives on the brink to treat patients. A day in the life of workers on the frontline is daily sacrifice they’re taking to safeguard our health to point of some losing their own lives -may they rest in peace.
Diriyah Honors Health Workers In An Amazing 3D Show: https://t.co/9b3a6SdSZn pic.twitter.com/Pno3M1lg3C
— About Her (@AboutHerOFCL) April 9, 2020
With all the stressful repercussions this pandemic has dawned upon us, Saudi heroes saving lives in the Kingdom and abroad have brought us so much joy and pride. Scroll through the memorable stories we’ve had the chance to cover and happy National Day Saudi Arabia!
1. Get to know Dr. Nawf AlGublan, a dedicated Saudi frontliner saving lives in the United States
Dr. Nawf AlGublan is a Saudi doctor working in the United States, whose inspiring career caught the attention of HRH Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud, who shared her story on her Twitter page back in June
"I continued to perform my duties, because my job as a doctor is humanitarian." Said #Saudi nephrologist Dr. Nawf AlGoblan, as she shares her experience of serving alongside her peers in the American medical community, during #Covid19. pic.twitter.com/wWeCmOYsK6
— Reema Bandar Al-Saud (@rbalsaud) June 14, 2020
A successful nephrologist, Dr. Nawf AlGublan, currently practices in Boston and is a proud alumnus of the Brigham & Women’s Hospital Massachusetts General Hospital Join Nephrology Fellowship. Read about her tumultuous story here.
2. Renowned Saudi doctor Dr. Nezar Bahabri won over coronavirus disease after a stringent fight
Dr. Bahabri documented his experience and warned his patients, fellow doctors, and fans to never belittle this novel virus.
Popular Saudi TV doctor, Dr. Nezar Bahabri, has defeated COVID-19 after a three-week battle at the hospital. His top advice? Wear a mask for prevention, and don't ignore the early signs of infection. pic.twitter.com/4Nxs37t2XA
— About Her (@AboutHerOFCL) August 23, 2020
He wrote: “I’m Nezar Bahabri and I was infected by coronavirus. I, like hundreds and thousands of heroes before me, were performing our duties treating patients infected and got infected with the same infection that we were treating patients for.” Read more of his testimonial here.
3. Dr. Hanan Balkhy is one of the main figures leading the fight against Covid-19 from the heart of the World Health Organization headquarters.
The incomparable Saudi trailblazer heads up the WHO Executive Director of Infection Prevention and Control. In her home country, Dr. Balkhy, Chairman of the Infectious Disease unit at King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, leads a team of scientists on relevant infectious disease research for the rising public health concerns such as multidrug resistance pathogens, MERS-CoV, hospital acquired infections, and now COVID-19. Read more here.
4. Saudi doctors are spread out across the world to continue their studies - thanks to the Kingdom’s generous scholarships – and/or excel in their life-saving jobs.
When Covid-19 broke out, a group of Saudi doctors opted to stay in France to pursue heir studies and continue their mission of healthcare providers. One of them is Dr. Ola Binhimd, a Saudi female doctor who may not be in direct contact with Covid-19 patients as she is specializes in plastic surgery for children, but is still risking it all coming everyday to work. Read more about her here.
5. Mental health services have become more crucial and abundant during Covid-19 and we would like to honor Dr. Haifa Al Gahtani for being a major figure in normalizing seeking help in the Kingdom.
She is the first Saudi woman to be accredited as consultant in cognitive behavioral therapy by the Academy of Cognitive Therapy in Philadelphia. In addition to heading the psychiatry department of Arabian Gulf University, Al Gahtani runs her own clinic at the Renewal and Reward Center in in Safa, Dammam and is part of the national Mudabara program, which also aims to unlock therapists’ full potential. Read more about her work here and about the Kingdom’s national center for mental health here.
6. And finally, a special shoutout to the robot medic minimising the risk of healthcare workers of coming close to the virus.
This awesome new doc in King Abdullah Medical Complex hospital in Jeddah is treating affected patients and helping nurses and doctors to practice social distancing and minimize risk of infection. The robot even has its own medical paraphernalia, we're talking a stethoscope, an otoscope, an eye camera, and a camera to examine the skin from afar equipped with a built-in high-resolution lens. Read more about this hi-tech miracle here.
