Qatar measures to keep its residents safe. A senior official has said that additional hospital beds will be made available in the next two weeks, bringing the total number of new beds opened as part of Qatar’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic to nearly 3,500.
The Chairman of the Health System Committee for Accident Control at Hamad Medical Corporation Dr. Saad Al Kaabi, has said that there is no lack of beds for patients who need hospitalization, but members of society must at the same time continue to act proactively to prevent coronavirus infection and prevent its spread.
Health authorities have taken a number of steps to ensure the safety of the elderly in Qatar in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) during COVID-19. This includes establishing a Geriatric Urgent Care Centre to care for older patients with health emergencies.
As part of measures taken to control the spread of the virus in the community, like other countries in the world, competent authorities in Qatar have asked the public to stay at home, keep social distancing and maintain personal hand hygiene. Around the world governments are almost taking similar measures to ensure safety of people enforcing social distancing.
Qatar’s proactive testing system is an achievement few countries can claim and is in contrast to the situation in several countries.
Qatar’s strategy to contain and curb the spread of COVID-19 focuses heavily on contact tracing to isolate, test, and treat as part of breaking the chain of transmission. Qatar has received global recognition for its efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic due to having one of the lowest mortality rates in the world.
Five hospitals, including two newly opened hospitals in Mesaieed and Ras Laffan, have been designated as dedicated COVID-19 treatment facilities, and the country is collaborating with local, regional, and international partners, including the WHO, on a variety of COVID-19 guidelines and care solutions.
In addition to a comprehensive screening and testing strategy, which has seen the establishment of quarantine hotels and isolation facilities, the country has taken a whole-government approach and launched a mobile tracing application, and spearheaded a multi-language, multi-platform public education campaign.
With one of the best healthcare systems the world, Qatar is capable of keeping its citizens and expatriates safe and healthy.
