What is The Hardest Aspect of Work in The Medical Profession?

Contacting someone to break the news that a loved one is gravely ill is one of the hardest aspects of work in the medical profession. 

For 22-year-old Esraa Al Agha, it was part of daily life volunteering during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Esraa’s work has taken her from Ajman Preventative Medicine Centre to Al Qasimi Hospital in Sharjah and multiple medical facilities around the country. She is among the countless healthcare professionals and volunteers who have been recognised by the Frontline Heroes Office for going to exceptional lengths to safeguard people’s wellbeing during the pandemic.

For Esraa, the experience has exposed her to sadness and hardship, but also great positivity. She describes her tireless volunteer work conducting Covid tests and acting as a patient liaison around the UAE as emotionally draining, but also the most gratifying role she has ever undertaken.

“Imagine calling a father to tell him that his seven-year-old daughter was infected with Covid-19 and a special team was on the way to take her into quarantine,” she said.

Esraa signed up for daily shifts, mainly as a liaison between patients’ families and the healthcare teams. She counselled relatives who were restricted from visiting loved ones.

“It was emotionally difficult, and I was often faced with distraught people who were desperate for information,” she said. “The hours at the hospital were long and the number of cases immense. There were so many stories of pain, especially at the beginning of the pandemic. We were on our feet for the whole day, often without a break. We were regularly exposed to people infected with Covid-19.”

In April 2020, Esraa also volunteered to help doctors working in quarantine hotels. She spent about 40 days volunteering there, at which point she was working around the clock in direct contact with infected patients.

“I was afraid to go home because the risks were too high,” she said. “During the early months of the pandemic, I saw my mother only on Fridays and only after I tested negative. I did the test so many times and I am blessed to never have contracted the virus. My mother is my true inspiration. When we spoke, she admitted she missed me but always encouraged me to get back to work.”

Esraa’s incredible appetite for volunteering took her to three other hospitals in Sharjah, Ajman and Dubai. She enrolled in extra training courses on swabbing and testing and was promoted to team leader at the Field Hospital in Expo Centre in Sharjah. She even motivated her brothers to volunteer at Al Qasimi Hospital.

Although the work is emotional and difficult, she will never forget the moments when she passed on news that a loved one had recovered from the disease. She describes it as the most gratifying work she has ever done.

Her motivation for her countless hours of hard work is simple. “I was born in the UAE and I have lived all my life here,” she said. “All my efforts are my way of giving back to this country.”

To date, Esraa Al Agha remains a hero as she continues her frontline volunteer work with Takatof. She is currently playing an active role in the vaccination campaign administering vaccines.

This article has been adapted from its original source.     

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