Ramesh Bhata, a leader of Nepalese expatriate community, distributing awareness leaflets in Nepali language among workers in coordination with Qatar Charity.
The whole world including Qatar is facing a serious challenge in the form of COVID-19 pandemic. To beat the challenge, the role of each and every individual of the society is pivotal and decisive. Different organisations of expatriate communities in the country are making efforts to defeat the threat to support the measures being taken by the government of Qatar and authorities concerned.
The community organisations and leaders are not only creating awareness among people on how to stay safe from the infection and rumour-mongering but also encouraging them to become part of volunteering campaign recently launched by the Ministry of Public Health.
The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has called volunteers to join the National Volunteering Campaign ‘For Qatar’ and help fight the coronavirus. Volunteers’ responsibilities will include medical practice (clinical), allied health practice, public health awareness, logistics and others.
Selected volunteers will be needed for at least 14 days of eight-hour shifts over a 12-week period from the end of March to the end of June, according to the MoPH. The call of the MoPH for volunteering has received an overwhelming response from the community as thousands of people representing different expatriate communities have also got themselves registered for the noble cause.
In a press conference held on March 24, spokesperson of the Supreme Committee for Crisis Management, H E Lolwah bint Rashid bin Mohammed Al Khater revealed that the number of volunteers with the MoPH, Qatar Charity and Qatar Red Crescent reached approximately 35,000, pointing out that MoPH is now working with the relevant authorities to distribute volunteers according to the need and expertise. Riyaz Bakali from Pakistan Welfare Forum told The Peninsula that their association was creating awareness among Pakistani community members particularly among workers about COVID-19 through different means.
“We are running aggressive campaigns through social media and also reaching out to workers to educate them regarding preventive measures needed to contain the spread of virus. We are also in close contact with the authorities concerned and also getting community members registered for volunteering.” Praising government’s role in provision of all necessary things including food to workers in the Industrial Area, Bakali said that PWF was ready to provide assistance to such people but the government itself was providing all essentials and was just taking input from us.
“We only point out if there is any issue and the authorities concerned address it swiftly.” He said that the forum was creating awareness videos to break the communication barrier as many workers were not educated enough to read the messages. Prof Mohammed Ramzan Ali Miya, a prominent leader of Nepalese expatriate community, said that he attended three workshops organised by Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) for leaders of expatriate communities to provide accurate information on coronavirus, so they could pass it to their countrymen.
Prof Mohammed Ramzan Ali Miya, who is fluent in Arabic language, said: “I translate all updates issued by the Government Communication Office (GCO) and other briefings by the local authorities into Nepali language on a daily basis and post on my social networking channel for Nepalese expatriate community.” He said that correct information will help them to save themselves and others from infection of coronavirus. “QRCS has registered my name in the group of volunteers, they will call me whenever they need for volunteering work,” said Miya.
He said that many members affiliated to different organisations of Nepalese expatriate community are volunteering with local charity organisations like Qatar Charity. “The volunteers in coordination with the charity organisations are creating awareness on how to prevent the infection of coronavirus,” said Miya.
Meanwhile, Indian Community Benevolent Forum (ICBF) has urged community members to refrain from spreading or assisting in rolling out incorrect, unnecessary and uncalled for information on all social media. “We appeal, remind and make you aware to abide by the clear directions from the Supreme Committee for Crisis Management and effective regulations put in place by the Ministry of Public Health to arrest the spread of COVID19,” ICBF said in a post on its social media account.
It further said that under the directives of Supreme Committee for Crisis Management, and supporting relevant entities including Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs, Ministry of Interior, Qatar Chamber of Commerce, Qatar Charity and Indian Embassy; ICBF is constantly engaged in every possible effort and action to ensure the reach of food and other basic supplies to quarantined zones.
With the start of COVID-19 outbreak in Qatar, Twitter users had launched a hashtag in Arabic #WeAreAllVolunteersForQatar, announcing their readiness for volunteering works to implement any plan to counter the spread of COVID-19 in the country, and assisting the competent authorities in the State to implement its precautionary measures.
The volunteering initiative launched by Qatar Charity (QC) to contribute to the efforts made by the country to curb the spread of COVID-19 has also received an overwhelming response from the people in Qatar, both citizens and residents.
The number of volunteers jumped to 7,460, out of 8,000 volunteers targeted by Qatar Charity, QC announced on March 22. To fully utilise the services of volunteers, the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) has also announced launching a nationwide campaign in all municipalities with the participation of a number of volunteers to clean and disinfect the various vital areas of the country.
In a meeting held recently at the Ministry, the volunteers were introduced to the volunteering initiative launched by the MME as part of the State’s efforts to curb the spread of coronavirus. It was also announced that over 30 volunteers from different age groups will participate in the campaign, who will be further distributed into work-teams covering all the important areas and facilities targeted by the campaign in the various municipalities.
Talking to The Peninsula, Engr. Anwar Hossain Akon, President of Bangladesh Community Qatar (BCQ) said that from the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, the association was in close contact with all the departments of Qatar engaged in preventing the spread of the disease. “We are circulating suggestions, advice and restrictions announced by the authorities among our community through WhatsApp groups; Facebook; through email and other channels. Videos suggesting what “to do” and “not to do” are being posted on community social media accounts on daily basis,” he said, adding that with other communities they had attended the coordination/ awareness meetings organised by the relevant ministries.
“We also did a radio programme on awareness in cooperation with our embassy. We also received training through Qatar Red Crescent Society along with other communities to know about COVID-19 and its prevention.”
