In Britain .. A mosque is transformed into a hospital for Corona patients

Al Jazeera Net - London

Like the Muslim doctors who were the first to fulfill duty in the battle with the emerging Corn Virus (Covid-19), the British mosques are unique in unprecedented initiatives in places of worship.

The Ministry of Health approved the request of the North West London mosque to allocate a number of its rooms and its large square, to receive some patients, after the mosque gave all guarantees that it would provide them with all the necessary needs of care and medical treatment.

This is the first time that health authorities have approved such initiatives aimed at relieving pressure on hospitals, and also taking advantage of the capabilities that the mosque has of space and volunteers who are able to provide care to patients.

A number of well-known Muslim physicians rushed to present the initiative to the health authorities that agreed to it after it emerged that the medical staff who will supervise the process has the medical experience and expertise that enables it to deal with the injured.

Humanity Mosque
The halls of the mosque that were used to provide lessons for children will be allocated to a certain class of patients who have reached an irreversible stage of the virus and are living their final days.

This group of elderly people, who are considered difficult by doctors, will be transferred to the mosque to receive medical care, in order to free the beds in hospitals for the rest of the patients.

The mosque has 12 rooms in addition to its grand square, which makes it able to provide 23 beds in the first phase, after a donation campaign launched by Dr. Muhammad Jeeva to provide medical equipment. Indeed, he succeeded in saving ten thousand pounds (about $ 12,300) within a few days, so that the mosque’s readiness to receive patients would be announced by the end of the current month.

Dr. Muhammad Jeeva says that the mosque contacted him at the beginning of the spread of the epidemic to take his opinion on the way to deal with this newborn, so his response was, "Why do we not offer anything to society in these circumstances?" He added that the reaction of the Muslim minority in the region was "more than wonderful". In the days, about sixty people from nurses, doctors and youth volunteered to "contribute to this initiative."

Dr. Mohamed plans to have a hospital capacity of about 55 beds during the second phase, and he stresses that this initiative is to serve "everyone, whatever their religious affiliation, and not only the Muslims."

And he explains that when hospitals see that there are some cases that cannot be cured, their decision is to return them to the home or care homes.

And when it is not possible to return them to the care homes for fear of transmitting the infection, he says, "We will be the alternative to receive these patients and provide the necessary care", provided that what will be presented in the mosque takes into account all the medical standards presented in hospitals.

Dr. Muhammad was able to obtain the support of a number of Muslim doctors, including Dr. Zahid Chauhan who had previously received royal recognition for his efforts in the face of homelessness, in addition to a number of doctors from various medical specialties, who would work under the leadership of Dr. Muhammad Jeeva, who heads the body Medical for Hajj missions.

Assisting the needy and
entering the British mosques during the month of Ramadan in exceptional unprecedented circumstances, which is confirmed by the head of the "Finsbury Park" mosque, Muhammad Kazbar, who revealed that his mosque had set up a plan of action for the month of Ramadan for the elderly as well as for young Muslims of the Muslim community who live alone and were dependent on the mosque In providing breakfast, he added, "Now the mosques are closed and they will have to provide them with these meals."

Kuzbar also spoke about an initiative launched by the mosque, which is to distribute meals to workers in the British health sector, in coordination with Islamic charities, and after the success of the first phase of this process there is work to expand the circle of beneficiaries in various hospitals in the capital London.

Among the initiatives announced by the mosque is the launch of a hotline, the aim of which is to provide psychological and religious follow-up to the Muslim minority, by answering their religious and psychological questions through imams as well as psychological counselors.

The second goal of this line is to give the elderly who are unable to leave the opportunity to communicate in order to order food and medicine.

"We have dozens of volunteers who deliver food and medicine to them in cooperation with the municipal authorities," said Kazbar.

The Finsbury Park Mosque launched an awareness campaign among the Muslim community, through publications in Arabic and English, about the importance of social separation.

And Kazbar stresses that Muslims "show a great commitment to health and government regulations, and mosques were the first to announce the closure of its doors even before the government announced the measures of sanitary isolation."

On dealing with the month of Ramadan, the spokesman revealed that the mosque will offer lessons online, by hosting elders and scholars to deliver lessons, via live broadcast.

He concluded by saying, "Perhaps this technique offers some condolences to the shocked community of closing mosques for the first time in the month of Ramadan, but everyone understands this and considers that health safety is a priority at the present time."