COVID-19 flight suspensions: Hundreds of health workers stuck in India, UAE groups seek support to bring back employees

Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport Mumbai, India. Flights from India to UAE stay suspended since April 25.
Image Credit: Rex Features

Dubai: Hundreds of UAE health workers, who’ve been stuck in India due to the COVID-19-related suspension of inbound passenger flights from India to the UAE, are interesting to authorities to assist facilitate their early return.

Prominent personal health care groups in the UAE confirmed to Gulf News that a whole lot of their employees, together with present ones and new recruits in India, haven’t been in a position to journey to the UAE ever because the restriction on passengers from India started on April 25.

Spokespersons of completely different personal health care groups stated they have been in dialogue with authorities and had sought support to bring back entrance line warriors to the UAE because the flight suspension has been prolonged. They additionally identified that health care workers have been absolutely vaccinated and appealed for his or her return topic to compliance with COVID-19 journey protocols introduced for exempted classes of passengers equivalent to UAE golden visa holders and diplomats.

Indian Ambassador to the UAE Pavan Kapoor instructed Gulf News that the Indian missions had already raised the problem with the UAE authorities and sought their support in permitting the health care workers to return.

Pavan Kapoor
Pavan Kapoor, Indian Ambassador to the UAE
Image Credit: Supplied

“We are conscious of a number of UAE resident medical doctors and health care workers presently stuck in India. We have been elevating this situation with related UAE authorities for a while, and are hopeful that they are going to be allowed to return quickly,” he stated.

325 stuck: VPS Healthcare

Sanjai Kumar, chief human sources officer at VPS Healthcare, stated 125 employees of the group together with 5 clinicians and 50 nurses, are stuck in India. “We even have greater than 200 newly employed employees who’re stuck in completely different elements of India.

“Those who’re presently there both went on emergency depart or maternity depart. They are eagerly awaiting to return to work. Our HR staff is in fixed contact with them to test their whereabouts and well-being,” he stated.

“We are extraordinarily grateful to the UAE authorities for the in depth support to us by this pandemic interval, and VPS Healthcare was in the entrance line becoming a member of the battle towards this pandemic. It’s extremely advisable to make an exemption for the stranded health care professionals to fly back. We are in fixed discussions with the authorities involved,” Kumar added.

300 stuck: Aster DM Healthcare

Fara Siddiqi, group chief human sources officer, Aster DM Healthcare, stated greater than 300 employees of the group are stuck in India due to the journey ban, with the bulk of them being health care employees.

Fara Siddiqi

“Some of our employees have been on trip in their dwelling nation when the UAE introduced flight cancellations,” she stated. “As an organisation, we’re involved about their well-being and wish to bring them back to their dwelling the place they will proceed to serve our sufferers.

“Since the very starting of this pandemic, our health care employees have helped each the UAE and India emerge from this disaster by risking their very own lives to serve our communities, now it’s our accountability to get our employees back protected and as a accountable health care organisation in the area, we’ve additionally made a promise to the group, that ‘We Will Treat Them Well!’.”

Siddiqi stated the group was in discussions with authorities establishments for support to bring back the health care employees whereas conserving security protocols in thoughts.

Several stuck: Thumbay Group

Thumbay Healthcare Division stated a number of of its health care workers are additionally stuck in India, with out specifying the entire quantity of the workforce affected due to the journey restrictions.

“We can be glad to assist them in any means to return to work and serve the group of the UAE,” stated Akbar Moideen Thumbay, vice-president, Healthcare Division, Thumbay Group.

Akbar Moideen Thumbay

“We absolutely support the federal government and want to play an necessary function in combating the pandemic. The UAE has all the time been in the forefront in adapting to new insurance policies and supporting the native enterprise and health care workers,” he stated, hoping for support for the return of health workers from India.

Independent services additionally hit

Other groups and impartial health care institutions like hospitals, medical centres and clinics have additionally reported absence of a number of members of their work power due to the journey restrictions from India and urged the authorities to facilitate their return by following strict COVID-19 journey protocol.

Gopinath S, chief strategic officer at Canadian Specialist Hospital in Dubai, stated the hospital has 16 employees together with medical doctors, nurses and paramedics stuck in India.

Gopinath S

“Considering the bizarre scenario, we urge that an exemption be given in phrases of a waiver for visa and license renewal intervals to health care workers, who’re stuck in India.

“We have appealed to the authorities to contemplate our plea, and as all the time we anticipate the proactive and compassionate stance of the authorities ought to assist us sail by this example as properly,” he stated, including that the UAE has marked an enormous success in coping with the pandemic.

Stranded health workers converse

Dr. Mohammed Nisar Ali, specialist anaesthesiologist at Aster Hospital, Qusais, stated he went to India on April 16 due to an emergency. “My mom was not doing properly and he or she was hospitalised. I got here right here to take care of her as she was alone in the hospital. With COVID-19 protocols in place, nobody else was allowed to go to her and this was a serious psychological trauma for her, hindering her restoration. By the time she began bettering and I used to be trying ahead to my return, the flight ban got here into impact and since then I’m stuck in India,” he stated.

Dr. Mohammed Nisar Ali

“I’m a entrance line employee working in crucial areas of operation theatre and emergency. Being away from responsibility for such a very long time impacts me bodily, emotionally, psychologically. Also, in time of this pandemic disaster, I could possibly be of assist to the hospital. It does have an effect on my entire household additionally as I’m the bread earner.”

He urged the authorities to assist facilitate the return of the UAE resident visa holders, particularly these like him who’ve real causes.

Steffi Christina, an ICU Nurse at Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi, stated she went dwelling for a much-needed trip after being away from her expensive ones for 2 years.

Steffi Christina

“It has been two years since I got here to my hometown as I used to be energetic in the entrance line service throughout the pandemic. Since we have been dealing with COVID-19 optimistic sufferers and contemplating the emergency, our responsibility was important in the group,” she stated.

The entrance line warrior stated she had additionally contracted the virus and was hospitalised for 15 days. “Finally, I felt I wanted a break and was lacking my household badly. On high of that, I had plans for my household engagement; due to this fact, I took depart for a month and got here to India on April 18. I used to be supposed to be part of on May 22. But, sadly, flights have been closed.”

COVID-19 has additionally claimed the lives of some of her family members. Concerns about not having the ability to resume work as deliberate was including to the psychological trauma, she stated. “At current, my unit in Burjeel Hospital requires my service, and sadly, I’m not in a position to journey. It can be of nice assist if authorities involved would make preparations to take the health workers back with a particular allow. As I reside in Chennai, it will likely be useful if permissions are granted for journey from right here as travelling interstate will likely be very unsafe and dangerous at this second.”

Difficulties defined

Deepthi Sambhu, a registered nurse at VPS Health Care, stated she had gone dwelling on trip on March 16, and her return was deliberate for April final week.

Deepthi Sambhu

“I’m very a lot involved that I’m not in a position to meet my work commitments and going through a number of challenges.”

“When l knowledgeable my administration about these challenges, I learnt that they’re making an attempt their greatest to assist us and on the lookout for choices to facilitate the journey. I’m hopeful that the authorities will contemplate this as a particular case and permit us to be part of back to responsibility on the earliest,” she added.

Soumya Kesava Udayakumar, unit-in-charge at Aster Pharmacy in Muhaisnah, stated she additionally went to India for her annual trip after two years. “I got here on April 7 and my trip was supposed to resume work on May 12. The suspension of the flight was till May 4 and I hoped to return on time. But, it’s got prolonged many times.

Soumya Kesava Udayakumar

“Last yr, due to the pandemic scenario, many of our employees couldn’t go on annual trip. It has grow to be tough for my colleagues working over there as a result of some of us are stuck even after our annual depart ended. They have to work extra time with out some employees members. We have pending work additionally. These are huge issues.”

Like a number of different UAE residents stranded in India, she stated it has been tough for folks like her to pay home lease, cellphone payments and many others whereas they’re stranded back dwelling.

Online coaching explored

Though the health workers’ jobs require bodily presence in their work locations, personal health care groups are additionally exploring on-line alternatives for coaching. “While we look forward to additional directives, we launched a three-month talent enhancement coaching programme for our newly employed nurses stuck in India to get them higher ready after they relocate to the UAE,” stated Aster’s Siddiqi.

“This programme not solely permits our nursing expertise to upskill and multi-skill themselves to tackle organisational talent scarcity and improve productiveness, but in addition broaden their very own personalities for his or her profession and improvement whereas shifting throughout roles,” she added.

VPS Healthcare can be exploring the chances of distant coaching and on-line orientation prospects the place relevant, stated Sanjai Kumar.

However, Gopinath stated the net choice isn’t possible in many circumstances.

Related Posts