DOHA: Staff at the Emergency Department of the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) had a hard time dealing with hundreds of patients rushed to the department following the massive sandstorm on Wednesday night.
Complaints have once again cropped up about long waiting time and shortage of doctors at the department which allegedly forced some patients to leave without getting the required treatment.
A patient told Al Sharq that he had to wait for long hours because there was only one doctor available at the department. He said he called up an ambulance when he developed breathing difficulties due to direct exposure to the sandstorm.
He said when he arrived at the department he found tens of people waiting in queue but there was only one doctor to deal with the large number of patients. Their number was growing fast and the place soon became full with patients waiting, said the daily.
Some of them were sitting on the floor and waiting to see a doctor. It was midnight. He had blood pressure and temperature tests as soon he reached the department but had to wait until 3am to see a doctor. The long waiting forced many patients to leave the hospital without seeing a doctor or getting the required treatment, alleged the patient.
A nurse at the department was annoyed when people asked about the delay. Some patients left without seeing the doctor while some others slept on the chairs.
He urged the HMC to increase the number of doctors at the department to meet such emergency situations and give proper training to the staff on how to deal with patients in such circumstances. There were many people who required immediate medical intervention, he added.
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