SAUDI ARABIA

A Saudi doctor's valiant role in helping Italy fight the pandemic

April 05, 2020
Dr. Nasser Al-Abdelaali the young doctor at 28 did not join the plan for the evacuation of Saudis in Italy.
Dr. Nasser Al-Abdelaali the young doctor at 28 did not join the plan for the evacuation of Saudis in Italy.

Saudi Gazette report

A SAUDI doctor is leaving no stone unturned and giving all his best to help Italy fight the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) there. His sincerity of purpose and courage of conviction have endeared him to the Italian society in its hour of grief and anxiety.

"I wanted to become the best ambassador of my country here," said Dr. Nasser Al-Abdelaali. The young doctor at 28 did not join the plan for the evacuation of Saudis in Italy, but preferred to stay back in Lombardy Region in Italy and help coronavirus pandemic victims.

The Saudi doctor, who was hosted by an Italian newspaper, was one of the medics working on the frontline of a hospital overflowing with people infected with the COVID-19 virus in the city of Lodi in Lombardy Region, northern Italy. He works for long hours daily to assist scores of patients recover from the deadly infection.

In an interview to Alarabiya.net, Dr. Al-Abdelaali said: “Loud sirens of ambulances and hearses were everywhere in the city. I thought as a doctor my role in the crisis should be of paramount importance. Also, my country Saudi Arabia is well-known for its humanitarian role in the whole world. So I wished to become the best ambassador of my country, especially since I am fluent in both English and Italian languages.”

He added: “I couldn’t restrain myself, so I just forged ahead and started working by monitoring the development of the virus in the afflicted cases to the extent that the woman owning the house I was staying in refused to take any rent from me as an expression of gratitude on behalf of the Italian people.”

He further said: “Work in the hospital turned out to be quite exhausting, long hours of duty and just too many functions, because the number of infected cases was overwhelming.”

Asked about the most difficult stage in his work, he said: “Undoubtedly, it is the moment when you’ve to inform the patient’s family that the patient has died. The reason is that breaking the bad news to them needs a certain tact and wisdom so that the doctor does not hurt their feelings.”

“Furthermore, the Italian law prohibits allowing the coronavirus patient’s family to see the dead. The objective is to protect the family. I did face emotional pleas but the law ties my hands. Also, the working team in the hospital is very cooperative. I have gained great experience working with them."

At the conclusion of the interview, he sent a message to the Saudi society that it is necessary to comply with the precautionary measures and directives to be protected from the virus, which is dangerous, deadly, spreads very fast and infects the old and young alike.

Al-Abdelaali was sent on scholarship in 2011 to study medicine at the Italian University of Pavia. He is waiting to complete his internship, but the coronavirus pandemic has delayed this.


April 05, 2020
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