Citizens applaud Jordan’s healthcare workers as heroes on frontline against pandemic

AMMAN —  Heeding the call to serve on the frontline against the coronavirus pandemic, Jordan's doctors and healthcare providers have won the nation's heart, drawing accolades from across the Kingdom for their heroism.

Salma Ali, a Jordanian mother of three, said that her nine-year-old son has approached the window several times to applaud the efforts of Jordan's soldiers and healthcare providers, who are putting their health and that of their families at risk to protect Jordan. 

Yara Bawalsa, a Jordanian General Practitioner (GP) based in Karak and a volunteer in a group of 19 doctors who are on standby to provide additional assistance in dealing with the novel coronavirus and its symptoms, said a medical practitioner's profession is “not a mere career but a calling and a commitment”.

The volunteer group also provides free medical services to children and people with chronic conditions, depending on their area, in addition to consultations over phone, Bawalsa, who graduated from medical school last June, told The Jordan Times on Sunday.

Doctors and all healthcare professionals are on the frontlines of combatting the pandemic, and follow firm precautions with the aim of protecting their patients and themselves, Malek Sowan, a Jordanian orthopaedic surgeon, told The Jordan Times over the phone on Sunday.

This step is of “vital importance” as some cases are asymptomatic, Sowan said.

“This is a novel virus, which means that all people working in the health sector should stay up-to-date with all information and studies published by the World Health Organisation, and it is their duty as healthcare providers,” Sowan noted.

“Jordanians have proved to the world in the face of the pandemic that their solidarity and trust in the country’s leadership is sewn deeply in the fabric of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,” Sowan said.

Maria Al Malak, a Jordanian accountant in her mid-20s, said that all social media platforms, especially Facebook and Instagram, are “flooded” with praise and photos of doctors and health cadres.

Batoul Wasfe, a Jordanian sports trainer, said that during the curfew she has been active on social media groups and “what she noticed the most” is the overwhelming public support for healthcare personnel who have been tirelessly working to contain the virus.

Rami Abu Rumman, head of the Jordan Medical Association’s (JMA) subcommittee in Salt, said that, amid the outbreak of the highly infectious virus, three emergency committees have been established in the area, working towards increasing citizens' adherence to the nationwide curfew and easing their access to healthcare services.

"Doctors from various specialties are providing free medical services, as they feel compelled by an ethical and professional duty to help people in need," Abu Rumman told The Jordan Times on Sunday.

Doctors are visiting the homes of people who need medical attention in rural areas, Abu Rumman said, noting that all persons who develop COVID-19 symptoms are immediately referred to the Ministry of Health.

Doctors with the Civil Defence Department’s operations room are working round-the-clock, while some offer consultations through a free hotline as an alternative to hospital appointments, with the aim of avoiding crowding at emergency rooms.

"Some doctors, nurses and medical professionals do not see their families for weeks, therefore we ask our brothers and sisters to do their part. Please stay at home and adhere to the curfew to curb the spreading of the virus," Abu Rumman said.