Fireworks on display at Katara (Shaival Dalal)
DOHA: Hamad Medical Corporation’s emergency unit stationed individual paramedics at a number of locations across the city where Eid Al Adha celebrations were lined up yesterday to tackle any medical emergencies.
These locations included malls, public parks and places like Aspire Zone and Souq Waqif where large numbers turned up for festivities.
Interestingly, HMC officials said they had also introduced bicycle ambulances this Eid, ostensibly for people gathered in public parks, among other places.
The individual paramedics, both on foot and bicycles, were apparently equipped with the necessary medical equipment to take care of an emergency until an ambulance arrived.
It was, however, not known if these paramedics confronted any medical emergencies in those locations.
HMC’s emergency unit, which also handles road accident cases, received some 580 patients during daytime yesterday. These cases included stomach upsets due to overeating, and other complications like diabetes, liver and kidney-related problems on account of eating a lot of sweet and fatty food, doctors said. At least 10 of the above cases related to injuries suffered in road accidents. No deaths were, however, reported.
Among the injured were three Chinese nationals. One of them was described by doctors to be in a critical condition.
The pedestrian trio, it seems, was hit by a car on the Corniche Road. The children’s emergency, handled more than 1,200 cases in the day and some of them related to fever and respiratory problems.
Doctors said the number of cases reported to the emergency unit on the first day of Eid Al Adha was much less than that during previous years.
The ambulance department said they received some 430 calls for help in the day, while air ambulance division received some six calls.
Four-wheel powered ambulances were deployed in areas like Sealine and Khor Udaid.
The Ministry of Interior said on its Twitter account that a car fell off the flyover near the immigration headquarters.
The ministry didn’t say if there were any casualties in this accident or other road mishaps. It urged motorists to drive safely.
The Peninsula
