Coronavirus impact in UAE: Dubai housekeeping attendant works harder to keep others safe

At a time when people are busy trying to protect themselves from coronavirus, Dill Bahadur, a 29-year-old house-keeping attendant at a hospital in Dubai, is putting in 12 hours a day to clean and sanitise areas to keep others safe.
Doors, knobs, railings, hospital wards, lifts, hospital floor, and all the things and areas that are used by the public as well as patients are cleaned and sanitised in every few minutes by Bahadur and his team of housekeeping staff from morning till evening.
The Nepalese national, an EFS Facilities Services staff who has been working in the UAE since 2018, said this is the time to give back to the country that has helped him run his house.
"I am the sole bread-winner of my family and support four brothers and my mother back home. I feel blessed to be in the UAE, the country that has taken care of me during my tough times. And although I have worked throughout in a dedicated manner, I am working even harder in these trying times for the country as I owe it to the UAE," he said.
When asked if he gets nervous about his proximity to patients who may have the disease or cleaning surfaces that may be contaminated, Bahadur replied confidently: "Not at all, it doesn't frighten me because we are well equipped. All our staff wears personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks and gloves, and we have been given enough knowledge about how Covid-19 spreads and what precautions to take to prevent contracting this virus."
Bahadur, who has a 12-hour shift that starts from 6am, said he has learnt many things related to Covid-19 and is also spreading awareness of the same to not only his roommates but also to his family back in Nepal. "I maintain physical distance with all colleagues and roommates, wash my hands after every 20 minutes or half an hour and I preach the same to my family members back home, who sometimes worry for me," he said.
"I'm here for my family and my concern for them keeps me going. One needs to stay calm, positive and offer the duties sincerely to overcome these trying times. Also seeing the doctors working day and night, treating patients, is what inspires me to continue. When they can do it, why do I have to be scared. This is the time we join hands and support each other in whichever way possible and I am glad I can be part of the healthcare industry that has a crucial role to play in saving lives."
saman@khaleejtimes.com