Dr Mohan Thomas, a longtime resident of the country and a prominent Indian community member who has been in the forefront of several humanitarian and charitable initiatives, the latest being the battle against Covid-19, recalls how Qatar has been able to weather the challenges posed by the unjust blockade, with determination, and creating opportunities out of a crisis.

Dr Thomas who is a leading ENT specialist as well as the founder chairman of Birla Public School, feels that Qatar currently is in a unique position among the nations around the world by supporting many of the needy countries during the pandemic of Covid-19 with medicines and other supplies.

“The blockade showed all of us what Qatar is truly capable of under the able leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. On the third anniversary of the blockade, I take this opportunity to commend the spirit of the Qatari people and their determination to go forward hand in hand in furthering the country’s resilience and progress. It is a great occasion that exhibits the unity among the citizens and residents of the country and highlights how harmonious a nation moves forward,” stated Dr Thomas.

“The country is in the throes of a worldwide pandemic but Qatar finds itself uniquely positioned amongst the countries of world. Qatar, in the spirit of co-operation, has extended help and aid to people around the world while fighting against Covid-19 at home,” Dr Thomas continued.

“We have seen the country grow and develop in all sectors by leaps and bounds, demonstrating the spirit of the Qatari and expatriate population. During this latest pandemic, Qatar has begun to produce cleaning products, masks, ventilators and other essential medical supplies."

Dr Thomas highlighted that Qatar’s efforts to combat the pandemic has been lauded by the UN and the WHO.

Dr Thomas also pointed out that the country has always been open to dialogue and negotiations to resolve the Gulf crisis.

“Throughout all these years, Qatar has remained open to dialogue with the blockading countries and treated all with respect and dignity. Qatar’s historic win in 2019 at the Asian Cup demonstrated Qatar’s eminent place in the world of football. Qatar’s economic growth has continued to be the highest in the GCC and its open-minded foreign policy has been vindicated. The International Monetary Fund has forecast that Qatar will be one of only a handful of countries worldwide to run a budget surplus in 2020, despite the pandemic,” he described.

According to the physician, the pandemic has illustrated yet again that Qatar maintains the highest standards in healthcare with one of the lowest death rates in the world. “This is remarkable considering the conditions under which Qatar is forced to operate. The private sector has adapted to the pandemic while supporting the government in its efforts to curb the effects of the disease. This has contributed significantly to the stability of the economy in Qatar along with the QR75bn package announced by the government. The country is united under its wise leadership to overcome all the obstacles,” he concluded.


Related Story