The UAE has announced it will be offering free mental health support to COVID-19 frontline workers.
The Frontline Heroes Office, which was launched back in July, announced a free helpline has been launched in order to help frontline workers cope with the mental health pressures faced throughout the pandemic.
The new initiative has been implemented after research found by the authority found that 46 per cent of professionals in the country have felt their mental health has been impacted by the pandemic. Meanwhile, 25 per cent of frontliners claimed they felt burnt out from work.
With a team of 55 trained volunteers, the helpline will be available from 8am to 8pm for frontline workers via the number 800-HOPE (800-4673). Support is available in both Arabic and English and the entire team of 55 volunteers are supported by 12 clinical psychologists.
The Frontline Heroes Office also released a statement on the new mental health support: “This initiative falls under the framework of the efforts of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, in his role as chairman of the Frontline Heroes Office, to support frontline professionals in facing the Coronavirus pandemic on a national level.”
The Chairman of the Board for the Frontline Heroes Office, Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, also made a statement thanking frontline professionals for facing “the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic”.
“Their selfless work has meant that the UAE has been one of the leading countries in tackling the pandemic with sincerity and passion, which is why we must take care of them in appreciation of their dedication and generosity,” he said.
“The current pandemic has highlighted the unique challenges faced by our invaluable frontline professionals, and our hope is that through this helpline, we can help provide impactful mental health support to these brave individuals who are dedicating their lives to protecting us all.”
