As the whole of Dubai enters a shut down period in order to curb the affects of the global coronavirus pandemic, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, has issued an appeal to the city for volunteers.
Taking to Twitter, Sheikh Hamdan explained per the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai and Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE to “spread values of volunteerism as a humanitarian and national duty”, they have initiated the ‘Your City Calls You’ campaign.
Citizens and residents of able means are being encouraged to make a contribution in the efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic by downloading the ‘Day for Dubai’ app which is available on the Apple App Store or the Google Play store.
Embodying @HHShkMohd’s directives to spread the values of volunteerism as a humanitarian and national duty, we have launched the ‘Your City Calls You’ campaign through the Day for Dubai app, calling on residents to volunteer in areas of their expertise. https://t.co/bAXd82rkzo pic.twitter.com/IIODju7EDP
— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) March 24, 2020
“My message to everyone is to volunteer to join the dedicated teams that are working around-the-clock to protect our community,” Sheikh Hamdan said of the initiative. “This is part of our social responsibility and our duty to help safeguard the welfare of society,”
“Our aim is to ensure the highest levels of protection against the global pandemic we are facing and support the government’s efforts to combat it. This is a great opportunity to show our unity and our love for our city”.
The initiative is a joint venture between the Dubai Health Authority and Watani Al Emarat Foundation, and aims to match you up to opportunities available.
There are many positions available in the medical sector including doctors, paramedics and nurses, however that’s not the only volunteer opportunities. There’s volunteer positions available for child care, mentoring, community support, education and more.
Registration takes one to three working days. Those who intend to take part in the ‘Your City Calls You’ campaign will find more information on the Day for Dubai app or on their website dayfordubai.ae.
Given the current climate, giving back in these times of need makes the world of difference.
UAE government’s stay home plea
In efforts to curb the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak, the UAE government is urging everyone not to leave their homes, unless it’s “absolutely necessary”.
On Sunday night, a joint statement was issued by the Ministry of Interior and the National Emergency and Crisis and Disasters Management Authority telling all the UAE public to follow the guidelines that have been issued: limit social interactions and avoid going to crowded places.
The public has also been told not to visit hospitals unless cases are emergent or critical. If visiting, the use of face masks is urged.
Currently there are over 420,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus worldwide – around 290,000 are active cases, around 100,000 have recovered.
In the UAE, there have been 198 confirmed cases, 155 which are currently active, 41 have recovered and two have been fatal.
