Sharjah 24: Lt. Col. Rashid bin Sandal, Head of Rescue Department of Sharjah Police (SP), indicated that the voluntary initiative "Age-sensitive public transport (bedridden group)" has achieved tangible positive results since its launch in 2018 until 2020, in cooperation with Sharjah Social Services Department (SSSD).

The number of beneficiaries of the initiative reached 3856 in 2018. It reached 3985 beneficiaries during 2019, until it reached 4,343 beneficiaries in 2020, achieving an increase in the rate of satisfaction with the service reaching 98.0% in 2020, which led to raising the happiness index to 98.5. 

This came during "Aman Ya Beladi" programme prepared by the Sharjah Police Department of Media and Public Relations, and broadcast live on Sharjah Radio. 

Lt. Col. Bin Sandal added that 55 volunteers attended the initiative, during which they underwent 12 volunteer courses. The initiative, as for the number of volunteer hours, a total of 8642 hours during the year 2020.

He stressed that Sharjah Police harnesses all its capabilities in order to play its societal role and provide the best services to various segments of society. He pointed out that the Rescue Department provides many humanitarian works that embody the societal role entrusted to the Sharjah Police in line with the Ministry of Interior's strategy aimed at enhancing customer satisfaction with the services provided.

The Head of Rescue Department, Lieutenant Colonel Rashid bin Sandal, praised the great role played by SSSD through its initiatives in general, and the "Age-sensitive Public Transport (bedridden group)" initiative, in particular, which embodies joint work in promoting humanitarian aspects and providing special services, which exceeded customer expectations.

For her part, Kholoud Al Ali, Director of the Elderly Services Centre at SSSD, said of the cooperation between SSSD and the Sharjah Police General Command to achieve the desired goals of the elderly-sensitive public transport initiative (the bedridden category) represented in transporting the bedridden from their homes to hospitals. In addition to returning them to their homes again after receiving treatment, through specially equipped and prepared cars to deal with special cases, to transport them easily according to their current health status.

Al Ali highlighted that the Elderly Services Centre at SSSD provides several services, including (medical service) and (physiotherapy services). The centre, with its services, targets the elderly, children, and people with disabilities, as well as providing services to people injured and in need of physiotherapy services. The services of the centre are not limited to this, as it also communicates with the concerned group during the treatment period, to check on their condition and health on a daily basis, and ensuring the availability of medicines and health supplies for them, which are delivered if someone needs them urgently.