[BNA] BNA’s committed coverage of coronavirus in Bahrain

By Rasha Al Ebrahim

Manama: The two queues were inching towards the tables where doctors were administering the nasopharyngeal tests. From the side, I looked at the men and women standing in line, patiently waiting for their turn to reach the table at the end. Three doctors were working together to make the experience as simple and as painless as possible for those who wanted to take the test and check wherever they have been hit by the coronavirus (COVID-19). They were men and women, young and old, Bahrainis and expatriates, moving forward together. A woman is taking the nasopharyngeal test. The tests are available to all people in Bahrain free of charge. I recalled how His Royal Highness Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa as early as February stressed that “vigilant participation from the general public and all national constituents will be vital to check the spread of the virus.” Here in the high-ceilinged hall inside a famous shopping complex in the capital Manama, there was no favoritism for, or discrimination against, any nationality or group. First come, first served. I calculated that it took about four minutes for each person to move forward. When my turn came, I moved to the table where a healthcare professional welcomed me with a great smile, made me feel at ease and took some personal information. Another doctor took the long Q-tip-like swabs out and successively inserted them into both nostrils in my nostrils after telling me to keep still. The process was slightly uncomfortable but not painful. A few seconds later, it was over. The swab was placed in a tube and I was told that I should check the BeAware application within 24 hours to for the result. The coronavirus has imposed on the world uncertain times that required the media to have special readiness. At work, and as we wanted to make sure that we at BNA could provide the most accurate information from our official and trusted sources, we had training sessions on how to cover a health crisis professionally and ethically. “The world today has more media, many more social media platforms, and that means we have to be better and more dependable journalists,” we were told during the training. I talked with some of the people who had queued up for the test and they affirmed they were grateful for the possibility to have it quickly and free of charge. Some expatriates referred to other countries where such an opportunity was well beyond the reach of people. They said that in some countries, the results took many days. I felt truly fortunate the healthcare system in Bahrain was highly satisfactory, among the best and the most compassionate in the world. Yahya Omari during a field investigation My colleague Yahya Omar reported similar feelings of contentment with the way the Kingdom was dealing with the COVID-19 and how it was treating foreigners. Such an approach was succinctly described by HRH Prince Salman when he said that “COVID-19 does not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, religion or social class.” “We need to be committed to united efforts as we deal with the illness, and our national responsibility is intensified during these difficult circumstances facing the Kingdom, especially the media that has to be always at the forefront to cover the efforts of Team Bahrain to combat the spread of the Corona virus,” Yahya said. “It is necessary for each responsible journalist and media professional to rise up to their responsibilities in conveying the great national efforts being made to preserve the safety and security of the citizens and the residents.” He emphasized that, in light of this pandemic, the media had to assume the responsibility of informing the public of all the details and the continuous and steady efforts performed by Bahrainis in the health sector. “The media responsibility requires us to be in the front to clarify the image and transmit it to the public. The media must in this case satisfy the public’s keenness for a true picture of the events. We had to work on reports that included statements, questions and answers, queries, details about the events. We were present in the field where we witnessed heroic stories and remarkable successes by Team Bahrain. The heroes embodied the highest meanings of sacrifice and devotion to the homeland while fighting the virus.” Yahya was reporting from the new intensive care unit (ICU) capable of accommodating beds equipped with respiratory and reanimation equipment. Seven days earlier, the unit was a parking for cars on the third floor of the Bahrain Defense Force (BDF) Hospital. Now, it contains 130 beds and it is fully ready to treat infected cases with COVID-19. Rasha with Professor Khalid bin Ali Royal Medical Services Commander Major General Professor Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa said that another field intensive care unit in Sitra was equipped with 100 beds and that it will be outfitted with the best equipment to provide optimum services when needed. He lauded the pioneering role of the Crown Prince Center for Training and Medical Research in providing training courses and specialized medical workshops within the plans developed to combat the coronavirus. “Such courses for the medical staff in Bahrain constitute a consolidation of the national efforts to combat the coronavirus,” he told me.