Health Minister visits Covid-19 designated Al Wakra Hospital

HE Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, Minister of Public Health meets with senior officials

HE Minister of Public Health Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, Tuesday visited Al Wakra Hospital to meet senior members of Hamad Medical Corporations Tactical Command Group and Al Wakra Hospitals leadership team following the designation of the hospital as a Covid-19 medical facility. The majority of services at Al Wakra Hospital were transferred to other hospitals in the public healthcare sector to enable Al Wakra to be utilized as a dedicated Covid-19 facility. "In recent weeks we have seen a significant increase in the number of people requiring admission to hospital due to moderate and severe Covid-19 symptoms. The designation of Al Wakra Hospital, one of the largest hospitals in HMCs network, means we now have seven facilities solely dedicated to providing medical care and support for Covid-19 patients," said HE Dr. Al Kuwari. "We have taken a proactive approach to our capacity expansion strategy throughout the pandemic, ensuring that we always have sufficient bed capacity to meet any future increases in demand for hospital admission. There are now more than 2,100 Covid-19 patients being cared for in HMC hospitals, including over 400 admitted to intensive care, and by adding Al Wakra Hospital to our Covid-19 hospital network we now have an extra 400 hospital beds and 150 intensive care beds available for Covid-19 patients, should the demand require them," explained HE Dr. Al Kuwari. During the visit to Al Wakra Hospital, the Minister of Public Health discussed with HMC senior leaders how the hospital will play an important role in the strategy to ensure the healthcare system is able to manage any future escalation in the number of Covid-19 patients needing medical treatment. The Minister also inspected the inpatient units and intensive care units as they prepare to admit Covid-19 patients. "Al Wakra Hospital becomes the seventh HMC facility dedicated to providing care for patients with Covid-19. By creating a clear divide between our Covid-19 facilities and non-Covid-19 facilities we can ensure our Covid-19 resources are best utilized to deliver high-quality care to Covid-19 positive patients. Additionally, patients attending non-Covid-19 facilities for regular medical services can do so safely, without the risk of infection," said HMCs Chief Medical Officer Dr. Abdulla Al Ansari. "Due to the designation of Al Wakra Hospital as a Covid-19 facility we have transferred the majority of routine services to other hospitals, meaning patients will continue being able to access excellent care during this time. I would like to thank the public for their support and understanding during this second wave of Covid-19," added Dr. Al Ansari.