Coronavirus: Dubai hospitals told to resume non-urgent surgery

Medics can accept patients for elective operations from March 21 but hospitals have to retain inpatient and ICU beds for Covid-19 patients

Healthcare workers at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Abu Dhabi. In May of 2021, the emergency ward was dedicated to treating Covid-19 patients. Reem Mohammed / The National

Nurse Seema Mary Rajan had Covid-19 and now suffers ongoing breathing problems and joint pain. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A nurse in a general ward of a field hospital in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi on May 13, 2021. Antonie Robertson / The National

Helena Stevens, senior director of nursing at Zulekha Hospital. Antonie Robertson / The National

Nurse Jewel Tangullig checks documentation prior to a patient assessment. Antonie Robertson / The National

A nurse conducts a nasal swab test on a UAE government employee. Victor Besa / The National.

Nurse Jessica Bonacua is one of 80,000 frontline workers included in Frontline Hero Worker's registry by UAE government. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Doctors and UAE residents get the Covid-19 vaccine at Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi. Nurse JM Castro co-ordinates with the 6th floor to replenish the vaccines at the clinic, which are temperature sensitive.Victor Besa / The National

Nurses smile for the camera while practicing physical distancing at a Covid-19 testing centre. Victor Besa / The National

Dubai hospitals and day surgical centres have been told to resume all non-essential surgery, Dubai Health Authority said on Saturday.

Medics can accept patients for elective operations from March 21, although they must abide by the authority’s rules on bed occupancy rates.

Hospitals have to retain inpatient and ICU beds for Covid-19 patients wherever necessary.

All healthcare services in the emirate halted elective operations that “required deep sedation or general anaesthesia” on January 20, as Covid-19 cases surged in the UAE.

The same decision was made last March to protect at-risk patients and release equipment such as ventilators.

During the first wave last year, private hospitals across the city opened up wards and used their medics to help fight the pandemic.

The UAE recorded 2,013 Covid-19 infections on Saturday – as the number of recoveries continued to outstrip new cases.

The latest numbers brought the total tally of infections to 438,638.

A further 2,240 people recovered, taking the overall number of people who have beaten the virus to 420,736.