Video: Dubai closes Covid-19 field hospital at World Trade Centre

The Dubai Field Hospital, set up within the Dubai World Trade Centre for Covid-19 patients, discharged its last patient on Tuesday after tests results confirmed full recovery from the disease.

Following the discharge of the last patient, the facility will be closing its doors, a statement said.

Managed by Dubai’s Covid-19 Command and Control Centre, the 25,000 square metre facility was opened on April 17.

A total of 1,269 patients were treated and cared for by a medical team that included 279 doctors, nurses, pharmacists and technicians, as well as 200 volunteers.

Hiroaki Fujita from Japan, the last Covid-19 patient to leave #Dubai Field Hospital talks about his experience defeating the coronavirus.@DHA_Dubai pic.twitter.com/Of097wmjRd

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) July 7, 2020

Dr. Manal Taryam, CEO of Primary Healthcare, Dubai Health Authority, and director of the Dubai Field Hospital, said: “Following the reduction in the number of Covid-19 cases in Dubai, we celebrate with the medical cadres of the Dubai Field Hospital the full recovery of the last patient who was discharged in good health.

“Preparations are underway to close the field hospital,” she added.

The field hospital was set up with radiology equipment, a clinical laboratory, a pharmacy and other services that could be operated remotely.

It was staffed by doctors, nurses and para-medical personnel from the public and private healthcare sector.

The hospital had a 3,000 bed capacity, out of which 1,800 beds were dedicated to intensive care. A total of 5,584 lab tests and 2,370 x-rays were conducted at the hospital.

The hospital also provided patients with mental health services with the assistance of robotic technology. A telemedicine robot was deployed to connect patients directly with a psychologist for counseling. The device, which featured an audio and video communication system, was available to all patients.

It also featured recreational facilities for patients, including a sports zone where patients were able to enjoy playing games in a controlled healthcare setting. The games were available in several languages including English, Urdu, Malayalam, and Tagalog. A movie theatre also provided weekly screenings, with the hospital also featuring a gym and a café.

Dr. Essa Kazim, head of the Hospital and Medical Services Team at the Centre, said: “The hospital strengthened our ability to deal with stable and moderate cases, thereby reducing the pressure on hospitals in the city and allowing them to deal with critical cases that require the care and intervention of different specialised medical teams.”

A number of hospitals across Dubai are now fully clear of Covid-19 cases and have resumed their diagnostic and treatment services, confirmed Dr. Amer Sharif, head of Dubai’s Covid-19 Command and Control Centre.

“Dubai has demonstrated its preparedness and flexibility in tackling the Covid-19 crisis thanks to the measures undertaken at local and federal levels to tackle the pandemic,” he added.

The UAE reported 532 new Covid-19 on Tuesday, with the total number of infections now at 52,600.

The death toll stands at 326, with the total number of patients who have recovered standing at 41,714.

Read: GCC Covid-19 update: UAE reports 532 cases; 1,262 infections recorded in Oman