The year 2020 brought our lives to a standstill. Amid the covid-19 pandemic, the world just froze, and within seconds, everything changed. However, one thing that stayed constant was the dedication of doctors and nurses. Their commitment to giving a tough fight to the novel coronavirus was praised globally. And while the frontline workers were titled as the heroes of the covid era, it was also the unsung heroes who helped to keep the healthcare system functional.
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Female Unsung Heroes Made Personal Sacrifices To Fight Covid-19
From janitors to cashiers, insurance coordinators and receptionists, these faceless heroes worked tirelessly behind the scenes to give a tough fight to the pandemic. While the men were at the frontline, it was women who stole the show. And Curly Tales and Vatika laude such women. These women are not only the unsung heroes of the covid-19 pandemic but with their work and dedication, they also helped to make the world a better place.
One such woman is Ishita Rathi. Ishita Rathi, an HR professional at a mental health facility in Dubai and is one of the unsung heroes of the UAE. Covid-19 was quite demanding for Ishita as well. She had a tough journey both professionally and also personally. With elderly parents and a little daughter at home, she was constantly on her toes at the mental health facility. While leaving for work every morning during the lockdown was quite unsettling, it was returning from work that was challenging for Ishita.
When she returned from work, her daughter would want to hug her mother, but Ishita couldn’t do it. She had to first sanitise and clean everything before touching her daughter, which would break her heart. However, despite being a working mother, Ishita made sure to work daily and stand by the community in these difficult times. Even if it was behind the scenes, she is proud of it.
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Keeping The Healthcare System Functional
While Ishita’s struggle as a working mother caught our attention, it is also Uzma Javed’s spirit that we appreciate. Uzma Javed, a physical therapist, said her life changed during the pandemic. Because of the surge in work volume, she not only had to adapt to new things but also had to be re-trained to be a part of the Covid-19 testing team at a drive-through testing centre. While training wasn’t the tough part, the difficult part was to complete the outdoor duties in PPE kits in scorching UAE summers while staying isolated from families.
While these unsung professionals worked tirelessly for the community, students like Esraa Al Agha also deserve a mention for her brave act. Esraa Al Agha is a medical student from Ajman, and during the pandemic, she volunteered at Al Qassimi Hospital in Sharjah. To give back to society, she volunteered in quarantine hotels and various other places to ensure that the patients were doing well. She was a trusted liaison to patients’ families and ensured that the family was comfortable enough before and after the covid test.
While these courageous women were the warriors in the battlefield, there are a few others, who sat up and did their best from the backend. Arwa Beig won hearts with her noble deed. The 20-year-old make-up artist gave free makeovers to healthcare workers who fought tirelessly amid the pandemic. Well, we sincerely thank such female unsung heroes who are tirelessly working in these difficult times.
*Written with inputs from Khaleej Times and The National