JEDDAH: Fahad Ibrahim Al-Shahrani, a member of the first medical field awareness team at East Jeddah General Hospital, contracted COVID-19 while instructing the public on how to avoid infection.
He said although he was the only one to look after his parents, wife and daughter, he felt he had another responsibility to shoulder.
East Jeddah General Hospital tasked Al-Shahrani and his awareness and health education specialist colleagues to tour the city to provide protection tips.
Al-Shahrani said he believes that spreading awareness against diseases is no less important than doctoring patients. However, that meant staying away from his family, as a preventive measure, for long periods.
“I was full of fears that I could be another victim of the virus, but I had confidence in Allah that He would help me for, at least, my efforts in protecting people,” Al-Shahrani said.
He added that their multilingual awareness tours covered places where people of various nationalities are found.
“We spread awareness messages in different languages based on the language of the people we meet at malls, residential units, and on the streets of the city,” he said, adding that he was infected when he came in contact with a COVID-19 patient in the field.
“Once my case was confirmed, I decided to fight the virus until the last breath,” he told Arab News, adding that like other infected patients, he received optimal care and was lucky to defeat the virus.
“It was a do-or-die situation, and I was determined to be the warrior my parents, wife and little queen always thought about me,” he said. “Their prayers have been accepted.”
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