DOHA: Waiting time for Medical Commission appointments fell by 67 percent over the past one year and the time taken for issuing results of routine tests by 48 percent, the Supreme Council of Health (SCH) said yesterday.
Laboratory analysis at the commission increased by 38 percent while the waiting time for results of specialised tests fell by 30 percent, according to report released by the SCH ahead of National Day. The SCH has completed preparations to establish five units for the commission, 24 health centres, 10 hospitals and 17 specialised facilities. The SCH opened a temporary health centre in Zekreet and a unit for the commission in Doha during the year. Expansion during the year included 22 health facilities under construction, of which four are expected to open by the year-end. More than 86 percent of emergency cases have been attended by the Emergency Department at Hamad General Hospital.
The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) at HMC established 44 dispatch points across the country. The ambulance response in 75 percent of emergency calls was in less than 10 minutes in Doha and less than 15 minutes outside. The SCH plans to shift the Paediatric Emergency in Al Sadd to new premises and build a multi-storey car parking at Rumailah Hospital. The number of employees at the SCH, HMC and primary healthcare increased by 8 percent from 2012.
The National Health Insurance Company was established to oversee the National Health Insurance Scheme (Seha). A US company was appointed to manage claims of other parties and the SCH completed the first tables of fees and premiums for Seha. The Qatari identity card has been adopted as a document of national entitlement to insurance.
A draft law for application of the International Code for World Health Organisation for marketing breast milk substitutes was made during the year. The SCH worked in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance to increase taxes on tobacco and make pictorial warnings mandatory on tobacco products. A new plant for air purification started operation and a centre for assessment of risks arising from associated environmental factors that cause cancer was established. School nursing services increased by 7 percent during the year reaching 83.7 percent of total schools. The number of organ donors registered with HMC increased by 261 percent during the year. THE PENINSULA
