She kindled hearts with passion and patience

Salim Al Sharhan has touched the lives of thousands of people for over five decades. Devoting her life to helping the sick, the Florence of the UAE, remains elusive to the thousands of UAE’s nurses.

Salma, 78, was recently awarded the Hamdan Award for Individuals working in the field of medicine and health for serving the UAE people. Her nephew, who received the award on her behalf, could only give sketchy details of her life.

Salma was the first nurse in a country where even now only three per cent of the nursing workforce is Emirati. In 1955, Salma was chosen by a pharmacist to help in his work at the only such store in Ras Al Khaimah where she was trained to use medical equipment. She later worked at the British Council as an assistant to a British doctor. It was here that she learnt the several aspects and regulations of the profession. Later, she joined the first hospital in the emirate — Al Nakheel Hospital.

She has trekked miles on foot to treat patients at their houses and won the hearts of people through her charming smile and exemplary patience.

According to details profiled by the Hamdan Awards, Salma’s work as a nurse in the 50s and 60s was not as simple. The UAE in general and RAK in particular, was not as developed as it is today. Life was full of struggles and she felt that she had to sacrifice for the sake of patients. Several of her campaigns to regions such as Al Heel, Al Fahleen and Masafi to administer vaccination against malaria lasted for over a week.

She was the nurse and midwife that people in the region of Ras Al Khaimah depended on. She responded to calls during day and at night especially in childbirth and maternity cases.

Among the several incidents that stand out in Salma’s career, one deserves special mention; helping deliver a premature baby at seven months and whose mother died during the process. Salma used presence of mind to make up for the absence of incubators by poking holes in a cardboard box for ventilation and furnished it with a blanket to keep the baby warm.

She also took the burden of caring for the baby and fed him with distilled milk mixed with dates extract. The baby survived to become a person of influence but has never forgotten the person who stood by his side and helped him when he was most vulnerable.

Salma has also helped raise funds for clinics and hospitals in Somalia, India and Indonesia.

According to Professor Dr Najib Al Khaja, Secretary General of the Award, “She has been working silently for years. She is the mother of nurses in the UAE but not many people knew about her,” he said explaining how difficult it was to locate her. The selection committee of the award had to take pains to find her, he explained.

“We are proud of her and she is the kind of person who should be appreciated.”

Salma is bedridden and is being taken care of by the Ministry of Health at Obaidallah Hospital in RAK. Last week, the UAE Minister of Health Dr Hanif Hasan paid her a visit and thanked her for her efforts.

asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE