In April 2020, Time Out and Arabian Business launched The Hero Project, in a bid to raise the profiles of the thousands of individuals and companies in the UAE making huge efforts to overcome the COVID-19 crisis.
The project allows members of the public to nominate any person, company or organisation in the UAE who they believe deserves recognition during the current pandemic.
Rami Malaeb is one of those nominees.
As the regional epidemiologist for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Rami Malaeb is based in Dubai, monitoring the spread of COVID-19 in the Middle East and has five years of experience in the Humanitarian field.
His role is to study the causes of diseases, both infectious and non-communicable, work out where the outbreak started and identify people at risk by tracing details of those affected. Epidemiologists estimate the characteristics of a disease, and as the virus spreads their work becomes more important. Malaeb works behind the scenes, supporting with data, analysis and research.
Described as a true humanitarian and a humble and dedicated individual and with a profound sense of duty, he has supported MSF in setting up their COVID-19 treatment centres and directly training the frontline workers who are in charge of data collection, contact tracing and reporting.
Malaeb meets regularly with groups in the region and internationally to work on new concept notes and protocols for potential research on COVID-19, always working on changes to help the community at large.
He also works alongside doctors, nurses, lab technicians and virologists in a task force to respond to and prevent the disease among vulnerable people, such as those in refugee camps and conflict zones, coming up with methodology to help those living in crowded places so that they can limit transmission of the virus and increase isolation capacity.
Malaeb’s ongoing work with MSF provides valuable tools of study and analysis of the virus to help communities, organisations and individuals understand the science behind this pandemic. His mission has always been to contribute to the MSF team and to help others, continuously wanting to do better and be better.
The experience he has gained and the education he can provide helps the world and the local community become a safer place.
