Sunday, May 12, 2013
Dubai: Frustrated residents say they are being forced to queue for hours at Duabi’s Al Muhaisnah’s Medical Fitness Centre.
The huge queues of about 200 people, which at times spill outside the main building, are a result of overcrowding during peak hours, said the Dubai Health Authority (DHA).
According to the Authority, the centre has a capacity of 4,000 clients per day, but has catered to up 7,000 in the past few weeks. A senior official from the Authority emphasised that though the Centre is overcrowded, the process is streamlined, and advised residents to avoid peak times.
Iqbal S., who works in the signage industry, told Gulf News that he faced a waiting time of almost three hours in the morning.
“There were almost 200 people ahead of me while I was waiting to get my token. After I got my token, I had to wait for more than two hours for my turn — from 8.30am to 10.30am. I heard that the evenings are less crowded,” he said.
A staff member from the centre, who spoke on grounds on anonymity, told Gulf News that the mornings are the busiest.
“Tokens are dispensed by machines; some people take longer to select the service and get the token.”
The source added: “We operate at full capacity between 9am and noon. After 8pm the centre is relatively less busy.”
A Gulf News reader shared his experience with the newspaper. He said: “I’ve visited the Centre three times in a week — on a weekend afternoon, weekday afternoon and late at night on a weekday. Every time the waiting period is in excess of four hours.”
The Medical Fitness Centre in Al Satwa has also witnessed a rush of people.
A source from the centre said: “The rush is mostly in the mornings and during the first few days of the week.”
Maisa Al Bustani, Director of Medical Fitness at the DHA, told Gulf News: “At times, customers have to wait at Al Muhaisnah Centre during peak hours, however the process is smooth and organised. The centre does not make anybody wait for a token. If the waiting list is full, we ask people to come back another day or complete other formalities such as typing and payment of fees and then return.”
She explained that the Al Muhaisnah centre has the capacity to accommodate 4,000 clients per day.
“The centre is open 24 hours so people can choose a convenient time. However, recently we have catered to 7,000 patients per day, which is an unprecedented and unexpected growth in the number of customers,” she said.
Responding to the spike in numbers, the DHA advises residents to avoid peak times such as the beginning of the work week and after office-hours.
“Muhaisnah is a preferred centre with customers; however there are other centres like Al Satwa, Al Quoz and Al Rashidiya [for ladies],” she said.
The Authority recognises the demand, and is working on expansion plans, she said.
“The workforce in the emirate is on the increase. More people come in every day to live and work here,” she said.
Of the expansion plans, Maisa said Al Quoz Medical Fitness Centre has increased its capacity (up to 2,000 patients per day) and two more centres in Karama and Deira will be opened before the year end. “We are also in the process of implementing an electronic registration system which will further streamline the process and reduce the waiting time for patients,” she added.
By Carolina DSouza Staff Reporter By Carolina DSouza Staff Reporter
Gulf News 2013. All rights reserved.
