iPhone | iPad
Android
Huawei
Construction on key routes, like Al Khail Road, Al Mamzar Road and Emirates Road, has also exacerbated the traffic situation between the two emirates
KT APPDOWNLOAD
Doctors clown around to make children smile
Our main aim behind this project was to try to relieve patients of the pain not only by painkillers but also through laughter
They say that laughter is a medicine and a bunch of medical students tried this therapy to lift moods of patients at the Dubai Hospital. About 15 students of Emirates Medical Students' Society (EMSS) barged into the paediatric section of the Dubai Hospital with their faces painted as clowns.
"Our main aim behind this project was to try to relieve patients of the pain not only by painkillers but also through laughter. Further, we also aimed on reducing the fear most children have of doctors in their white coats," said Madiha Fathima, fifth year medical student from Dubai Medical College, and national officer of the EMSS' Standing Committee On Medical Education (SCOME). The committee works towards creating, developing and implementing medical education and healthcare system.
"Children who are hospitalised constantly have this fear that the doctor will come and put an injection or give some of those bitter medicines. So we thought to change their perception about us doctors and give them a fun day at the end of the year so that they can start the new year with fresh minds and happiness, Madiha told Khaleej Times.
After taking permission from the Dubai Hospital and with the support of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), the medical students with their white doctor coats on, faces painted and donning fancy clown hats, surprised the children.
The clown doctors used magic, music, storytelling and other clowning skills to empower children with doses of fun that would help them deal with a range of emotions they may experience while in hospital: fear, anxiety, loneliness, boredom.
"We arranged some activities in the play area of the hospital, such as magic shows, karaoke, story telling session and puzzles, we gave them Disney mugs and plates.
"It was not only the kids who enjoyed, but the parents looked relieved and even left the kids with us to either take coffee break or for paper work," Madiha said.
'Everything is going to be okay'
"Although we were engaged only with the kids, we were also giving the parent some 'breathing space'. This was our way of saying 'It's alright, everything is going to be okay'," Madiha added. The few kids who couldn't join the play area were, however, not left out. The students went to their rooms to give them gifts and show magic tricks.
More news from UAE
Fatma Almarri, Maryam Mohammed Abdullah and Iman Haidar, who are with Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, have played crucial roles in various strategic projects of the emirate
The campaign will begin Sunday, September 1, in a staggered schedule
Pakistanis are the second largest expat community in the UAE after the Indian diaspora
The ovarian freezing operation was done to mitigate the potential future risks to the minor girl's fertility by chemotherapy and radiation
It will be broadcast on Spacetoon five times daily over 35 weeks and the episodes will also be available on the network's YouTube channel
In recent days, flash floods caused by heavy monsoon rains in Thailand have killed 22 people
There is a chance of rainfall in the eastern and southern regions due to cloud movement from the Arabian Sea