The Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and the Heir Apparent H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani receiving heads of the diplomatic corps during a reception to celebrate Eid Al Adha at Al Wajbah Palace yesterday.
DOHA: Qatar was in a festive mood yesterday as people celebrated Eid Al Adha with relatives and friends and shared the spirit of the joyous occasion.
Eid prayers were held at various mosques and special prayer grounds across the country at 5.55am yesterday, the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs has said.
The Ministry had arranged a total of 277 mosques and prayer grounds in different parts of the country for the early morning prayers. Of these 21 places had special arrangements for women.
Some expatriate groups had also organised Eid prayers, with translation of the Eid sermon in their native languages. A large number of expatriates from the respective communities were seen attending these congregations.
Well-known places such as the Corniche, Souq Waqif and Katara as well as parks, museums and malls pulsated with much life as people thronged to these places to watch shows organised mainly by the Qatar Tourism Authority and enjoy the first day of a long break from work.
The souqs were also busy with many customers purchasing things they need for the Eid holidays and the slaughterhouses witnessed long queues with the increased demand in sheep for the festival.
Meanwhile, the emergency unit of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) announced that it was gearing up to handle an increasing number of cases during Eid Al Adha holidays.
The unit had a taste of what lies ahead in terms of patient turnout during the holidays as some 1,200 cases, mostly of stomach upsets, were reported on Wednesday alone.
Dr Saad Al Nuaimi, consultant at the unit, said that some 20 to 25 doctors, including consultants and specialists, are being deployed on duty at the emergency unit during the Eid holidays.
These doctors will be actively supported by a well-trained nursing staff, he said. The shift of the doctors and nurses will be changing every eight hours.
This means that 20 to 25 doctors will be present at the emergency unit round-the-clock during the Eid holidays.
“And, if we need the services of a particular specialist who is not on duty at the time we need him, we would be immediately calling him,” said Al Nuaimi.
According to him, more accident and stomach upset cases are reported for emergency medical care during the Eid holidays. “That is the reason why we are increasing the number of doctors at the emergency department,” he said.
Meanwhile, the executive director of Mowasalat, Ahmed Al Mansuri, said that the company has set a plan for Eid Al Adha.
Al Mansuri added that during the last Eid, the company’s taxis and buses carried about two million passengers. The executive director said that taxis will be available outside malls, near markets and in public areas.
He also said that the number of complaints about these taxis has been reduced thanks to the reviewed distribution plan. According to this new plan, there are more taxis in areas where families live, as well as hotels and commercial centres.
The service of Al Ijara Holding will start during Eid with 100 of the total 500 taxis the company will put in service later.
The cars will have a blue roof and use the same meter system as Karwa.
The Peninsula
