Free Comprehensive Online COVID-19 Rehabilitation Program Unveiled In The UAE

ARISE UAE in association with RAK Hospital today launched the Middle East’s first ever comprehensive ‘Online COVID-19 Rehabilitation Program’, which will be offered to patients suffering from long COVID symptoms, completely free of cost. ARISE, the Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies, is a network of private sector entities led by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR).

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), COVID-19 rehabilitation improves the health prospects of COVID-19 patients through optimizing health and functioning outcomes, facilitating early discharge and reducing the risk of re-admission.

After acute COVID-19 illness, recovered patients often continue to complain of chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, stress and anxiety, fatigue, body ache, cough, sore throat, difficulty in breathing, etc. Emerging evidence indicates that a majority of people who require hospitalization for COVID- 19 experience sequelae such as fatigue and shortness of breath in the months following their hospital discharge. Studies have also shown that the COVID causing SARS-COV-2 virus is likely to linger in the body, for many months. These problems have been described as ‘Long COVID’.

It is observed that about 30% of COVID patients experience long-term debilitating or painful aftereffects of the disease, that hamper their ability to even perform simple daily tasks. Since it’s a new disease, what we have learnt so far is that the symptoms can continue for 3-9 months and pose challenges for people experiencing it. It not only affects patients who were severely sick or hospitalized, but in many instances also impacted the ones who remained asymptomatic during the infection. The most common lingering symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain, cough or abdominal pain.

“It is an exclusive program for patients from across the globe. Nothing like this exists at the moment and we are extremely proud of our unique initiative which is supported and patronized by ARISE UAE. Ours is the only initiative providing an integrated and holistic approach to COVID recovery and rehabilitation, offered complimentary to all recovering patients”, commented Dr Raza Siddiqui, Executive Director, RAK Hospital, a multi-disciplinary hospital based in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE.

“Our aim at ARISE UAE is to create safe and resilient communities while working towards saving lives. COVID-19 being the biggest disaster of our times, needed our immediate attention, therefore, we felt it was necessary for us to work on presenting a solution which can help the communities not only in this country, but worldwide as well. The RAK Hospital team had the required know-how to carry our vision forward, hence the concept is now a reality”, stated Dr. Mahmoud Burai, Chairman of UAE ARISE and Senior Advisor in Dubai Government.

Led by Arabian Wellness & Lifestyle Management, RAK Hospital’s wellness division, this comprehensive program combines the expertise of a multidisciplinary team comprising of physicians, nutritionists, psychologists and physiotherapists who have worked hard to develop and deliver this idea.

“RAK Hospital had introduced its physical post COVID recovery rehabilitation program last year. However, we wanted to extend our reach to larger communities and wider geographies, thus, to support the community in the comfort of their homes, we created our online COVID Rehab product which assesses the recovering COVID patients’ medical details, test results, co morbidities, symptoms, etc. and instantly makes available a comprehensive online COVID rehab health prescription for a speedy recovery, covering all areas including Medical, Exercise Activity, Nutrition & Diet, Stress and Mental wellbeing, etc.”, commented Prof. Adrian Kennedy, Chief Wellness Officer, Arabian Wellness & Lifestyle Management.

People can log onto www.rakhospitalrehab.com to register for the program, then undergo the online health scan after which they will receive a health prescription tailored to their individual situation. Additionally, there will be weekly webinars focused on guiding patients on various relevant issues faced by them. The complimentary physical appointments can also be booked by the individuals, should there be any such need.

Talking about ARISE UAE, Dr. Tariq Ahmed Nizami, Vice- Chairman, UAE ARISE and Founder and CEO of CEO Clubs Network Worldwide said, “The need to create risk-resilient societies is inevitable in today’s environment, and by forming the first national ARISE in September of last year, we have shown that the UAE is leading the private sector engagement for disaster risk reduction. ARISE UAE aims to achieve the outcomes and goals of the Sendai Framework in a transparent and inclusive way that delivers measurable impact and sets the roadmap for other Arab countries. COVID-19 has put a stark reminder to all of us that reducing risk of disasters, whether natural, man-made or biological, has to be everyone’s business”.

ARISE works towards a resilient, prosperous future where fewer lives are lost to disasters, capital assets and investments are risk-informed and infrastructure is resilient to natural and man-made hazards. Members voluntarily commit to support and implement the Sendai Framework Disaster Risk Reduction 2015 – 2030, aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Paris Climate Agreement, New Urban Agenda and Agenda for Humanity.