Participants express a sense of patriotism

SEVERAL volunteers including both Bahrainis and expatriates who spoke to the GDN at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre have expressed a sense of patriotism as a reason for their decision to step forward.

They included male and female long-term residents, newcomers and citizens who reasoned their decision of choosing to volunteer “#4 Humanity”, the slogan of the Phase Three trial of a potential Covid-19 vaccine.

“Nurses and doctors are on the frontline treating us while policemen, army and security forces work to keep us safe,” said Bahraini businessman Ahmed Bader, 45.

“This is the only chance for people like us to serve the country. I think it is our responsibility to be part of this trial.”

Moroccan Sana Houmid, 42, who came with her husband, Egyptian Ayman Wajdi, said that she brought her friend along the next day as she found ‘the procedure was smooth and the people friendly’.

Nepali Himal Gurung, 29, who has lived in Bahrain for only nine months, said that he was volunteering to help his fellow humans.

“We’re all now facing issues surrounding Covid-19 so it would be nice if we could help save others from such problems in the future,” he said.

For Indian Mohammed Abdul Rahim, a long-term resident of Bahrain, it was a gesture of ‘giving back’ to the country he has called home for 26 years.

“I think this is the time to give back to this country which has helped me with a living for so many years,” said the fireman.

Chinese Tony Liu, part of the first batch of volunteers, was also in the hall, settling down to take his second dose.

“I was very comfortable and did not feel anything odd during the last three weeks,” he said.

Also, among the volunteers were many members of the medical community including prominent doctors like Haj Medical Mission Committee head Dr Ibrahim Obeid, King Hamad University Hospital internal medicine and gastroenterology consultant Dr Omar Sharif, KHUH internal medicine and endocrinology consultant Dr Dalal Al Rumaihi, Salmaniya Medical Complex family consultants Dr Juhayna Buhendi, Dr Hisham Al Sheikh and Dr Bushra Al Sayed Ahmed, SMC consultant paediatrician Dr Manal Al Maskati, SMC consultant of diseases and orthopaedics Dr Fatima Nasser, SMC psychiatry specialist Dr Majid Al Jabal and SMC Oncology Department physician Dr Sajida Sabt.

Source: http://www.gdnonline.com/Details/861496/Participants-express-a-sense-of-patriotism