As people around the country congregate to mark Eid Al Fitr prayers early in the morning, an Abu Dhabi hospital left no stone unturned to spread the festive cheer among its patients.
Burjeel Medical City, in Mohammed Bin Zayed City, arranged special Eid day prayers at the hospital’s atrium for the patients and their family members, who were also joined by the hospital’s medical team and management.
More than 75 long-term patients at Burjeel Darak – the hospital’s long-term care and rehabilitation wing, along with other patients and their family members joined in the prayer held at 6.15am.
The hospital made special arrangements to take bed-ridden and wheel-chair bound patients to the prayer area with the support of the medical staff. They surprised the patients by gifting them new clothes before the prayers.
Emirati national Hanan Ali Ibrahim from Ajman, the bystander to her three-year-old son Khalifa Ali Salim Al Shamsi, was happy to offer prayers. A fall from the bicycle in January had resulted in her son getting a brain injury.
“This year, Ramadan has been different because I am in the hospital. I will miss my family, but at the same time, the atmosphere at Burjeel Medical City is a friendly one. The management and staff have been supportive since day one. I don’t feel lonely because we are always together during Iftar and breaking the fast with the hospital staff has been fun,” said Hanan.
Yemeni expat Hussain Warsama Alsayad was filled with gratitude on this holy day. His 80-year-old mother has been admitted to Burjeel Darak, after suffering a heart attack.
“Since the last four months, I have been praying here every Friday. I am not surprised that the hospital has arranged the special prayers. This is my first Ramadan experience in a hospital,” said Alsayad, whose mother’s condition is improving.
“My immediate family would gather at the hospital to spend time together.”
Meanwhile, it has been nearly a year since Emirati national Yahya Sabeel suffered a brain haemorrhage and went into a coma. A week before Ramadan started, his wife Layla had to report back to work, so she was breaking her fast at home. While her husband’s condition has cast a pall over this year’s celebrations, Layla is pleased with the care taken by the management.
“Having spent a long time here, we have seen celebrations for special events like Ramadan, Eid, and the National Day at Burjeel Medical City. These special moments make the patients happy, and the family members feel at home,” she said.
Omran Al Khoori, president of business development, VPS Healthcare, noted: “We are happy to extend our support to our patients and their families by sharing in the spirit of Eid with them. As this special occasion is meant to be celebrated in the warmth of families, we want to ensure that our patients feel at home by providing the best care and facilities.”
Read Full Story: Khaleej Times | merimedia
