Qatar's Minister of Public Health Affirms Continuing Development of Health Facilities

Doha, June 09 (QNA) - HE Minister of Public Health Dr. Hanan Mohammed Al Kuwari said that Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) is constantly expanding and developing its facilities and services in order to meet the growing needs for health care in Qatar. She also referred to the new technology, services and methodologies that have been implemented over the past few months at the HMC's network of hospitals to improve patient experience as well as the quality of care available to them. HE the Minister of Public Health made the remarks during the inauguration of two new service units; the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Unit at the Heart Hospital and the new Robotic Pharmacy for the preparation of chemotherapy at the National Center for Cancer Treatment and Research (NCCTR). The Cardiac MRI Unit offers comprehensive diagnostic services for inpatient and outpatient at the Heart Hospital. This unit, which adopts the first MRI system at the HMC's hospitals, will use the latest in MRI technology for the heart and blood vessels. The provision of a specialized MRI unit the Heart Hospital will eliminate the need for transferring inpatients to other hospitals and facilities for diagnostic tests, Said Dr. Hanan Al Kuwari adding that this new technology will also contribute to the improvement of treatment outcomes and patient safety. For her part, Dr. Mariam Al Kuwari, Senior Consultant for Cardiac Imaging and Head of Medical Imaging at Hamad Medical Corporation said that the MRI unit will, upon its full operational stage, produce six diagnostic imaging procedures per day. She added that diagnostic imaging helps doctors know and determine whether the patient has cardiovascular disease or not, thus providing effective and timely treatment. The robotic pharmacy for the preparation of chemotherapy at the National Center for Cancer Treatment and Research is the second of its kind in the region. It is a robotic device for the preparation of drugs containing highly toxic substances used in chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is one of the most complex and toxic drugs used in the treatment of cancer patients. The advanced robot used to prepare chemotherapy will reduce the risk of errors during drug administration and will also protect pharmacists from the complications of these potentially toxic drugs. In this context, HE Dr. Hanan Al Kuwari said this technology will help raise the level of care offered by the medical team at the NCCTR and ensure the highest safety standards for both patients and staff. "HMC is always looking for ways to improve patients' safety and enhance their experience. This is the best example of this commitment. The new system of automated pharmacy will enable the development of chemical treatments for 40 to 50 patients every day," she added. HE the Minister of Public health also paid a visit to the Hearing and Balance Department at its new location in the Ambulatory Care Center, where she was introduced to new services and equipment available to patients. During the visit, HE Dr. Hanan Al Kuwari pointed out that the unit has the highest standards of technology and services available for the treatment of hearing disorders in Qatar and other countries in the region. She added that Patients with hearing disorders or imbalances who need to be diagnosed and treated can receive the latest care and treatment programs in a new facility within a hospital setting that helps patients recover. Dr. Khalid Abdulhadi, Head of the Hearing and Balance Department at HMC, said that since its establishment 15 years ago, the department has undergone a series of improvements in order to provide the best care and support services for patients with hearing disorders and balance in Qatar. He added that the department has contributed hearing aids to more than 5,000 people with hearing loss and 245 people regained their hearing abilities or gained it for the first time in their lives through cochlear implantation. (QNA)