ABU DHABI — Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA) announced the opening of the COVID-19 Prime Assessment Centers in Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center and Al Ain Convention Center with a capacity of 2,000 and 1,500 respectively.

The centers, managed by Ambulatory Healthcare Services, a SEHA healthcare facility, serve all members of the community with a positive COVID-19 test result. The patients will undergo an initial assessment at the centere and will receive further guidance on how to deal with the virus.

The centers are dedicated for patients with a positive test result and will strengthen the existing COVID-19 healthcare infrastructure in Abu Dhabi by providing the community with easy and safe access to testing, medical assessment, and guidance at the hands of qualified medical professionals and volunteers speaking the various languages of the Abu Dhabi community.

Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al Hamed, chairman of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, said: "The establishment of the new assessment center is yet another example of the country’s drive to join efforts and share resources as we deliver on our leadership’s vision.

“We recently achieved the two million tests milestone as a result of the remarkable efforts and combined drive from both the healthcare industry and supporting partners, and look forward to working with our partners to ensure that all members of the community have access to safe and accurate testing with a clear and defined follow-through process."

Salem Al Noaimi, chairman, SEHA, said: "As we continue widespread testing across the nation in efforts to quickly identify and care for those who have contracted the virus, it is important we confirm test results in a prompt and efficient manner.

“The new center is established in line with international best-practice with the aim to re-test and provide preliminary care to members of the community who test positive. We would like to extend our gratitude to Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) who have partnered with us to house the new center, as we all work towards the shared goal of protecting the community."

Commenting on the announcement, Mohamed Hawas Al Sadid, AHS chief executive officer, said, "As the first stop for patients testing positive for COVID-19, this new center plays a pivotal role in combating the virus and preventing its spread. In line with DOH standards, patients who test positive are required to undergo the test once more in order to confirm the results and put the appropriate plan for the patient.

“The center was designed in accordance with the highest standards of safety and infection control with separate passageways and halls for the different categories visiting the center. Furthermore, and given the importance of preventive measures in the fight against COVID-19, we ensured that visitors receive education on preventive measures for home quarantine and isolation guidelines."

Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, managing director and group CEO, ADNEC, said: "We are proud to launch the second phase of our partnership with the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA).

“This partnership is driven by the directives of our wise leadership to further enhance the cooperation between the national entities in working together to combat the Covid-19 epidemic and reducing its consequences to the country, in addition to enriching ADNEC's contribution in supporting the community services’ initiatives.

“ADNEC teams have prepared the Prime Assessment Centers in record time at the Abu Dhabi ICC hall in Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center, next to car park (A) and in Al Ain Convention Centre, to the highest international standards."

Dr. Noura Al Ghaithi, AHS chief operations officer, added "There is no doubt that getting a positive result can have an emotional impact on many. That is why we put the comfort of our visitors at the forefront of our priorities.

“To ensure that they are able to visit the center as soon as they receive their results, we put a plan to operate the center 7 days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

“We also designated stations for senior citizens and residents, people of determination, families, and ladies and ensured that visitor privacy and confidentiality is maintained at all stages of the process.

“In addition, in order to ensure the safety of both our visitors and employees, the center was designed in accordance with physical distancing and preventive guidelines."

Patients that have been tested positive will receive an SMS directing them to visit one of the COVID-19 Prime Assessment Centers. During the first visit, the patient is directed to the Yellow Hall where their vital signs are checked, followed by registration in SEHA’s electronic medical record, Salamtak, and an additional nasal swab.

All patients are then advised to go home and follow home quarantine guidelines until they receive their result by SMS, SEHA app or the Hosn app. If the medical assessment shows that his condition is unstable, the patient will be redirected to the Red Zone to undergo additional testing including ECG, blood tests, X-ray, and CT scan followed by consultation with a doctor to determine whether he needs transfer to a hospital or he is well enough to go home.

If the patient’s new test result comes back as negative, he will be directed by SMS to visit the Purple Hall to be tested one more time for confirmation of his result. Meanwhile, if the result is positive, he will visit the Blue Hall to undergo examination and assessment and then either put on the electronic watch for home quarantine or get transported to an isolation facility.

The COVID-19 Prime Assessment Center compliments SEHA’s efforts and response to the COVID-19 outbreak and follows the recent announcement of the opening of nine new screening centers across the UAE, thus bringing the total number of screening centers managed by SEHA to 24.

This is in addition to establishing 3 field hospitals throughout the UAE and introducing a dedicated WhatsApp hotline to respond to the community’s coronavirus-related concerns and questions.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, SEHA has also announced a number of initiatives designed to meet the needs of all segments of the community, which initiatives include the virtual outpatient clinic and medication delivery services. — WAM