23 October 2016

Doha - Mr. Sameh Hekal, a 28-year-old married father, was carrying out his usual duties as an accountant at work earlier this year when he suddenly experienced loss of vision in both eyes.

‘I was surrounded by my work colleagues at the time and they immediately noticed my distress,” explained Mr. Hekal, originally from Egypt. “Straight away I knew something was wrong, and my first thought was that it could be a stroke. I had suffered a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or low level stroke in 2015 and the sensations I felt were similar.”

Mr. Hekal’s colleagues called 999 immediately for an ambulance and he was quickly taken to Hamad General Hospital’s (HGH) Emergency Department.

“Upon arrival at the Emergency Department, Mr. Hekal was rushed through for a CT scan to fully assess the extent of the damage in his brain,” said Dr. Hisham El-Khider, Specialist in Neurology at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC). “It was then clear to the medical team that he had suffered an acute stroke. We proceeded to treat Mr. Hekal with alteplase, a thrombolytic medicine to open the blocked blood vessel in the brain and reduce any brain damage caused by the blockage,” Dr. El-Khider explained.

“I was worried about the potential damage and impact that the stroke may have had, but I was reassured by the care team along every step of my assessment and treatment that they were doing what was needed to deliver the best outcome for me,” stated Mr. Hekal.

“I’m extremely satisfied with the standard of care I received at HMC - from the ambulance crew, the emergency teams and the staff in the Stroke Ward. To suffer an acute stroke and be discharged home after just three days is enormous credit to everyone involved in my care. I’m delighted to say that I am now back to normal and my quality of life has not been affected by this experience,” explained Mr. Hekal.

Dr. Naveed Akhtar, head doctor in the HGH Stroke Ward, explained the benefit of HMC’s dedicated stroke service. “In the past few years we have worked hard to put in place processes to ensure stroke patients are treated as quickly and effectively as possible. This requires excellent communication between the ambulance, emergency, stroke and rehabilitation teams,” Dr. Akhtar noted.

“The redesign of stroke services since 2014 has led to a reduction in the average length of stay for stroke patients, an increase in the rate of thrombolysis treatment and a reduction in the rate of complications for stroke patients,” stated Dr. Akhtar.

-Ends-

About Hamad Medical Corporation
Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) is the main provider of secondary and tertiary healthcare in Qatar and one of the leading hospital providers in the Middle East.

For more than three decades, HMC has been dedicated to delivering the safest, most effective and compassionate care to all its patients.

HMC manages eight hospitals – five specialist hospitals and three community hospitals – as well as the National Ambulance Service and has home and residential care.

In January 2016, HMC achieved the significant distinction of becoming the first healthcare system across the globe to have all its hospitals accredited by Joint Commission International under the Academic Medical Center accreditation program. Additionally, the National Ambulance Service, Home Healthcare Service, Stroke Service and Palliative Care, have all received this prestigious accreditation since 2011.

To meet the needs of a rapidly growing population, HMC has announced ambitious plans to expand capacity across its network through to 2030. This expansion plan includes four new hospitals in Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City.

HMC is leading the development of the region’s first academic health system – combining innovative research, top-class education and excellent clinical care – and is committed to building a legacy of healthcare expertise in Qatar. HMC collaborates with key partners who are experts in Qatar and beyond, including Weill Cornell Medical College-Qatar, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and Partners Healthcare, Boston.

HMC is also the first hospital system in the Middle East to achieve institutional accreditation from the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education – International (ACGME-I), which demonstrates excellence in the way medical graduates are trained through residency, internship and fellowship programs.

For more information please visit: www.hamad.qa or contact Noimot Olayiwola, Media Project Manager Tel: (00974) 44390945; Mobile: (00974) 55568709; Email: nolayiwola@hamad.qa  

© Press Release 2016