The First Batch of 50 Trained COVID-19 "Safety Officers" Completed Their Training From Gulf Medical University in the Face of the COVID 19 Pandemic

A specialized training course organized for GMU students and faculty members.

13 October 2020 – Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Gulf Medical University, specializing in medical education, has yet again demonstrated its student’s engagement initiative and commitment to save the community. The university recently concluded a training program that involved a group of students and faculty members who received extensive scientific information and practical guidance about the ongoing coronavirus (COVID 19) pandemic and how to handle it and restrict it from spreading, while protecting the university environment and the community at large. 

Commenting on the subject, Professor Hussam Hamdy, Director of Gulf Medical University, said: “We believe that each one of us (students and faculty) has a role to play serving the society during the current situation of COVID 19 pandemic, also considering that the students are back at the university, the most important issue is health and safety of the university environment. We developed a training program for our students and faculty to ensure having safe environment by training them on several aspects to prevent spreading within the university and also the community at large."

Professor Hamdy also added: “With students and faculty members returning to the university, it was essential to emphasize on the implementation of all procedures, directives and instructions set by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Higher Education in the country to contain the pandemic, which we remain committed to and will continue to contribute towards fulfilling our duty. We not only played these two roles but also studied the current situation while taking into account the available data and arrived at a decision to form a more specialized group that is equipped with more scientific information and can keep pace with the various research and studies carried out by medical references and research centers in various parts of the country, as well as other parts of the world, and is well-informed about every development about the current issue. At the end of this course, we would have a group of students possessing information and skills that exceed those of the other ordinary or non-specialist students, especially since they are all pursuing different medical specialties."

The first group to undergo this specialized course consisted of 35 students across different medical and health colleges at the university, in addition to 15 members of the teaching staff representing various faculties. They received extensive training information from the university experts about dealing with personal safety and the necessity to adhere to social distancing and the importance of sterilization. They also learned about the field procedures to be taken upon discovering a positive case among students, faculty members, or their contacts, and how to classify the protected contacts from the transmission of the virus, and those unprotected contacts who are vulnerable to infection and transmission to others, in addition to dealing with different cases while ensuring everyone's safety.

Professor Hamdy, while highlighting the commitment of the participants during this intensive course and their keenness to follow its details with great interest, said: “Now, we have about 50 “Safety Officers” across various facilities of the university in the corridors visiting the training centers, hospitals, and health and educational centers that are affiliated, armed with ample information on how to deal with any suspected case of Coronavirus infection. They are fully trained to take appropriate measures to isolate the infected patients and secure the safety of those contact with them.

He concluded by saying: “There is no doubt that this is a pioneering initiative by Gulf Medical University, which affirms in this context its full readiness to contribute and support other universities who wish to obtain details about this intensive course, which goes far beyond the information circulated or the currently recognized measures, to benefit the students and professors of other universities and also the members of society.”