ABU DHABI - The Ministry of Health and Prevention is currently training around 535 volunteers to support the UAE’s medical system, as part of a range of national awareness, training and prevention initiatives that aim to reduce the spread of coronavirus, Covid-19.

This announcement was made during the seventh periodic briefing of the UAE Government, which presented the latest developments regarding the efforts to counter coronavirus.

Dr. Farida Al Hosani, Official Spokesperson of the UAE Health Sector, stated that the ministry is currently conducting training programmes for volunteers around the country, which involve different sectors that support the medical system, such as contact centres, quarantine centres, hospitals and various sterilisation facilities.

Volunteering in the UAE is being prioritised by the leaderships of governmental and non- governmental bodies. The UAE is promoting the culture of volunteering, as it encourages people to serve the country and community and contribute to shaping the future.

Emirati volunteer institutions and programmes are providing a variety of community and development needs, such as the National Volunteer Programme for Emergencies, Crises and Disasters, the emergency response initiatives like ''Takatof'', ''Sanid'' and ''We Are All Police'', the Emirates Red Crescent, ERC, the Emirates Voluntary Academy in Abu Dhabi, the Dubai Volunteering Programme, the Sandooq Al Watan Fund, and the "Volunteering Incubators System".

The key volunteering initiatives that were implemented under the framework of the country’s efforts to face the coronavirus outbreak include the launch of nine national initiatives by the Federal Youth Authority, to raise the readiness of Emirati youth and support their role in reducing the effects of pandemics on the community. These initiatives were launched in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Prevention, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, the Ministry of Community Development, the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments, the National Media Council, NMC, and the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, FAHR.

The number of registered volunteers amounts to some 500,000 people, who provide local and international services.

© Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2020.