Secretary General of QRCS, Ali bin Hassan Al Hammadi with participants during the honouring ceremony.
Doha: Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has honoured the physicians and volunteers contributing to the COVID-19 response efforts.
As many as 150 participants made a cycling tour from Katara to Al Duhail Sport Club and then back on the same course, as a thank you message for those heroes at the forefront of the response.
Following the tour, an honouring ceremony was held, which was supported by several sponsors, including Katara Cultural Village, Al Duhail Sport Club, the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), Qatar Cycling Center, the General Directorate of Traffic, Baladna, Al Rawda Water Company, and Wooden Bakery.
The event was attended by Secretary-General of QRCS, Ali bin Hassan Al Hammadi, CEO of QRCS, Eng. Ibrahim Abdullah Al Malki, representatives of the partners, and over 50 organisers.
In his speech, Al Hammadi said: “Notably, the doctors and volunteers engaged in the COVID-19 response showed extraordinary dedication and creativity in doing their job. They even undertook extra tasks to ensure the best outcomes, working as one team and one family.
“The coronavirus pandemic was an unprecedented global emergency that affected the life of everyone in all countries, leaving millions dead and livelihoods lost due to strict lockdown.”
In Qatar, he said, the biggest challenge was to secure enough numbers of workforce such as physicians, nurses, paramedics, and well-trained volunteers to help the concerned government organisations and sectors.
“As an auxiliary to the State of Qatar in social and humanitarian fields, QRCS automatically converted into one of the public organisations concerned with responding to the pandemic. Under the Supreme Committee for Crisis Management, all QRCS’s resources were put at its direct disposal, including the medical professionals of Workers’ Health Centres and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) as well as the male and female volunteers highly qualified in disaster response,” said Al Hammadi.
Eng. Al Malki said: “There is no room to elaborate on the achievements made by our doctors and volunteers throughout the emergency, but their heroic attitude at the hardest times is unforgettable. They faced fear with utmost courage and determination, being always there where needed. They stayed out of home for many months, with the sole mission of serving and protecting the people of Qatar.”
“Just a few highlights to demonstrate their impressive work: medical services were provided by 641 physicians, first responders, nurses, technicians, health educators, and trainers. The Volunteer for Qatar campaign saw a wide public response, recruiting over 17,000 young women and men from all walks of life, inspired by a desire to extend help for those who needed care and psychological support,” said Eng. Al Malki.
