DOHA: With new state-of-the-art hospitals all set to open in Al Wakra and Al Dukhan, a similar facility is likely to be established in Al Shamal, as the country has started preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2022.
The Supreme Council of Health (SCH) is currently assessing the future health requirements, particularly in view of the World Cup, and would go for a new hospital in Al Shamal, if there is a need for that, Minister of Health and Secretary General of SCH H E Abdulla bin Khalid Al Qahtani said yesterday.
"Currently we are planning to have a new healthcare facility at Al Shamal. This is a very new project and we are still considering the various details. We will assess the requirements for the 2022 World Cup and see if we need a hospital or a full-fledged community healthcare center," the Minister told The Peninsula, on the sidlines of an oficial visit to the new hospital building in Al Wakra.
The new Wakra Hospital and Dukhan Hospital will be operational by summer next year, added the Minister.
Al Qahtani was joined by
H E Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Khalifa Al Thani, Minister of Municipality and Urban Planning, Dr Hanan Al Kuwari, Managing Director, Hamad Medical Corporation(HMC), Eng Nasser Ali Al Mawlawi, Chairman of Ashghal, and senior officials from HMC and Ashghal durign the visit.
"The hospital (Al Wakra) has been completed on time and will be the best landmark in healthcare for the next year. We hope that by the opening in summer next year, the hospital will relieve pressure on the main hospitals of Hamad Medical Corporation," said Al Qahtani.
Previously, it was announced that Wakra Hospital would be opened in April next year, however this has been put-off until June- August 2011. The soft opening of Dukhan Hospital will be in April.
"Even the last batch of medical staff are here and are, at present, undergoing orientation programmes at HMC. So once operational in April, the 79-bed Dukhan Hospital will be officially inaugurated in December," said the Minister.
Medical staff for both Wakra and Dukhan hospitals are under training at HMC. With the opening of both the hospitals, HMC will have a staff of 20,000. "By 2013, we will have four hospitals in Hamad Medical City; together we hope to increase bed capacity per 1000 people from 1.7 to 4.4," he added.
Meanwhile, Dr Hanan Al Kuwari said that the 300-bed Wakra Hospital will offer almost all the facilities as the main HMC hospitals.
"The hospital is electronically linked so all medical records can be quickly delivered and it has a strong engineering link. This will be in addition to 'pneumatic tube technology' in which cylindrical containers are propelled through a network to speed up sending and receiving of documents and specimens. The hospital is also linked to main HMC hospital in Doha and Al Khor Hospital."
© The Peninsula 2010
