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ERC to fund scholarships for 200 nursing students in 7 countries

Abu Dhabi - The non-profit organisation has raised Dh100m in the past decade through donations

The Emirates Red Crescent (ERC), which seeks to address the acute shortage of nurses globally and the crunch that has been felt like never before owing to the raging Covid-19 pandemic, will fund scholarships for 200 nursing students in seven countries.

The initiative, known as 'Ataya', which formed a decade ago, would benefit students in the UAE, India, the Philippines, Egypt, Mauritania, Albania and Bosnia, said Sheikha Shamsa bint Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, wife of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in the Western Region, Assistant to the Chairman of the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) for Women’s Affairs, and Chairperson of the Higher Committee for Ataya initiative. In a virtual Press conference, Mohammed Yousef Al Fahim, Deputy Secretary-General of Support Services, Emirates Red Crescent, spoke on her behalf.

Hind Al Muhairbi, head of marketing, ERC, noted that the ERC has collected Dh100 million in the past decade through donations, which contributed to providing humanitarian aid and healthcare to several countries.

“According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there is a need for more than 6 million nurses. Ataya will support training programmes offered to nurses in seven countries in coordination with the universities and educational institutes. At the domestic level, Ataya will support the nursing programmes and professional training at the Fatima College of Health Sciences,” Al Muhairbi said during a media briefing on Tuesday.

“Over the past few years, Ataya has implemented several projects around the world, including the establishment of hospitals and medical centres covering treatment of thousands of patients, and setting up schools and houses, and other local projects such as Faraj Fund, autism centres and supporting people of determination,” Al Muhairbi added.