Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has continued to provide smooth delivery of Emergency and essential services across the hospitals despite an increase in number of cases during the ongoing Eid Al Adha holidays.
The Emergency Department at the Hamad General Hospital (HGH), Al Wakra Hospital, Pediatric Emergency Centres and the Ambulance Service have attended hundreds of patients including trauma and critical cases in the first two days of Eid.
HGH Emergency Department received 565 patients on the second day of Eid, which is an increase of more than 100 cases from the previous day.
All cases were reported between 6am and 6pm yesterday and majority of them were due to gastric ailments and respiratory problems, said Dr Galal Alessai, Consultant Emergency Medicine, Medical Toxicologist, Vice-Chairman for Corporate Affairs, Department of Emergency at HMC.
“At HMC extra steps have been taken to ensure the smooth delivery of services during Eid holidays. We expect to get more patients during holidays compared to other days with different complications. The team at the HGH Emergency Department as well as across HMC’s network of hospitals continue to provide the highest level of patient care throughout holidays. With a team of specialised doctors, nurses and paramedics, we ensure that operations are not affected and patients are given the best care,” he told The Peninsula.
“Though we have seen a high number of cases only one critical and one trauma case were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit and both are in stable condition. All other patients were treated and sent home,” he added. The Emergency Department at the Al Wakra Hospital has seen a total of 221 patients on the second day of Eid and no critical case was reported.
The number of patients seeking treatment for gastric ailments, road accidents and children for falls and accidents increases during holidays. Therefore people were advised to eat moderately and take precautions while driving and keep children safe.
HMC’s Pediatric Emergency Centres in Al Saad, Al Rayan, Al Shamal and Al Dayeen and Airport area received a total of 995 cases with different complaints. Majority of cases were due to respiratory problems but several others were also treated for different complications like trauma, infections and others.
“There was a slight increase in the number of cases on the second day of Eid from 760 on the first day to 995. However there was no specific reason for that. We saw an increase in the number of patients due to trauma but there were no critical cases reported,” said Dr. Nasser Haidar, Senior Consultant, Pediatrics, HMC.
He also advised parents to supervise children and to avoid any type of accidents, falls, drowning and poisoning.
“It can be a busy time for parents but they should pay some extra attention towards children, especially the parents must keep them safe from swimming pools, small objects and medicines,” said Dr. Haidar.
The Ambulance Service has deployed 95 cars across the country including places like Al Wakrah, Souq Waqif, Katara, Sealine Beach and Smaisma Beach on the first and second day of Eid. It had reported 260 claims cases including seven road accidents on the second day Eid. Another four patients were airlifted by LifeFlights but majority of cases were not critical.
While on Sunday, a total of 760 cases were seen at the Pediatric Emergency Centres across HMC. Majority of them presented with complications such as respiratory diseases such as viral and bacterial infections, intestinal infections, skin problems like allergies and various infections, enter of foreign bodies into nose and ear, accidents of swallowing medications used by a family member and burns. Some were also presented with newborn diseases like yolk, suspected infections and others. A total of 450 patients were seen at HGH’s Emergency Department, most of them were presented with mild problems. Some 26 patients ere admitted and others were treated and sent home. Only two critical cases were received on the first day of Eid and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit.
While the Emergency Department at Al Wakrah Hospital treated a total of 230 cases on the first day of Eid and no critical cases were reported.
