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Dubai: While UAE residents enjoyed a four-day break due to the three-day Eid Al Fitr holidays, several people worked to help others celebrate. Gulf News spoke to a few of them to understand what it feels like to work while everyone else is enjoying their break, and to appreciate their dedication and service to the community. Dr Walid Al Hussin, consultant neonatologist at Zulekha Hospital in Sharjah, was on call for 24 hours a day throughout the three days of Eid holidays.
"I also had regular eight-hour shifts on the first and second days of Eid, where my duties included working in the OPD (outpatient department), the clinic, and the neonatology department,” he explained. Hailing from Syria, Dr Al Hussin and his team were busy attending to babies facing critical health issues. He also spent time in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), conducting rounds to check on newborns and ensuring their health.
"In addition to seeing the babies admitted to the hospital, part of my work was to examine newborns who were born over the last few days,” he said. His official working hours are from 7 am to 3 pm, meaning he was late for the Eid day lunch with his family. However, he said: “I am very happy to be able to attend to these little babies in the NICU at all times and ensure they get back home healthy with their parents.
It gives me extreme satisfaction. Be it Eid or other holidays, as a doctor, I am always here first for my people.” We must be there Pharmacist Sumbal Hina, who works at Aster Hospital Al Mankhool in Dubai, spent the first day of Eid Al Fitr working.
Having been recognised for her 10-year-long service recently, Hina was focused on her work while others were celebrating. “When my husband dropped me off at the hospital after the prayer, he pointed out the Dubai Police who were on the road, and we discussed how even they were working. It reminded me that no matter what our job demands, we must always be there,” she said.
Sumbal Hina Her shift during the Eid day was from 9 am to 5.30 pm, which meant missing out on Eid lunch with family. While Hina also misses the celebrations back home, she finds solace in being surrounded by friends and her husband here in Dubai.
“But for me, whenever family gathers, it’s always a celebration. In my early days here, it was just a job, but now I genuinely love what I do, and I will always be there when the job demands,” she said. First Eid in Dubai It was the first Eid Al Fitr in the UAE for Niloufar Ahmadi, an Iranian expat who moved to Dubai just a month ago.
However, the nail artist was busy working at a ladies’ salon to make sure their customers looked their best for the festivities. “We have a busy time at salons during Eid holidays as all women want to look good and dress up for the celebrations,” she pointed out. “I was at work on the first two days of Eid and took a break on the third day.
I miss my family. Their Eid was on Monday, but I am happy that I have new friends here. They are all very kind, and we have great teamwork.
I’m happy to interact with a lot of nationalities here,” she said. Busy time at Food Court Mohammed Anik, a cleaner at the food court in a mall in Dubai, had to work all three days of the Eid holidays. He did his job diligently as malls across Dubai remained open until 1 am.
Mohammed Anik “The food court here is generally busy, but during Eid holidays, it is fully packed, and we have more work. But I am happy to work hard. I can keep my family happy if I work hard.
Anyway, it is for my better future,” said the young expat from Bangladesh, who has been in Dubai for four years. Happy to help colleagues Meanwhile, Khimanand Pandey, a Nepalese expat, also worked on all three days of the Eid holidays. A cash supervisor at a Lulu Hypermarket branch in Abu Dhabi, Pandey said he was happy to work during the Eid holidays for two reasons.
Khimanand Pandey “Firstly, I am happy to help my Muslim colleagues take a break to celebrate the Eid festival after fasting for a month in Ramadan. Secondly, I enjoy serving customers who come for last-minute shopping for festivals like Eid. That is the period when we see a lot of rush,” added Pandey, who has been working here for 10 years.
Mohammed Anik.
