Al-Ahli Hospital is working closely with the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) and Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) to ensure that they are supporting the nation and its people in this time of COVID-19 pandemic.
As a healthcare institution, the hospital has also taken all precautions for staff and guests and following the guidance and advice received from the MOPH. As part of the measures, it is compulsory for guests to Al-Ahli Hospital to have the Ehteraz contact-tracing app installed on mobile devices. Also, stricter visitor restrictions are in place at Al-Ahli Hospital.
Before entering the clinical areas, all guests/caregivers and staff will undergo temperature screening and complete a declaration form on their current health status, recent travel and recent contact with COVID-19 patients. “The Al-Ahli Hospital is following the ‘Your Safety Is Our Safety’ policy and have implemented strict guidelines to curb the spread of COVID-19. All measures are in place to protect the guests and our staff in every possible way. This is contributing to prevent the disease, limit its spread and identify those who might show some of its symptoms quickly and effectively,” said Dr. Abdulazim Abdul Wahab Hussain, Medical Director of Al-Ahli Hospital.
“Upon entry to the hospital, every guest is screened. We check their body temperature. Also questions asked to identify risk factors like fever, signs and symptoms of COVID-19, travel history and contact with the suspected cases. Based on those assessments we fast-track the guests to the relevant department. Guests will be re-assessed at the clinics as an extra precaution,” he added. “If we are in doubt about any patient we call the Communicable Disease Center for further directions,” Dr. Hussain said.
He also said that at the clinic’s guests will be keeping a one-and-a-half meter distance from each other. Also, appointments are scheduled at intervals so that only a limited number of people will be at a clinic.
“We have also assigned staff to operate the elevators, so that guests don’t need to touch the panel,” Dr. Hussain said. Al-Ahli Hospital has halted all elective surgeries, in compliance with MoPH’s directions to stop some elective health services at private healthcare facilities.
In a memo sent to all private healthcare facilities in Qatar, the Healthcare Facilities Licensing and Accreditation Department at MoPH has said that the decision to stop some elective health services, in the context of preventive and precautionary measures undertaken by the Ministry to limit the spread of COVID-19, is to ensure the safety of patients and healthcare workers.
“We follow special safety measures at the operation theatres. Protocolized clearly defined pathways have been made available to healthcare professionals working at operation theatres. We have allocated dedicated staff to key management roles which is crucial to minimize COVID-19 spread. All staff must be specifically trained to don, doff, and dispose of personal protection equipment (PPE).
Also we have special type of masks to be used in the operation theatre,” said Dr. Hussain. He also said that Al-Ahli Hospital has designated an area on the third floor of the hospital to care people with respiratory illnesses as they are in a risk of developing COVID-19.
In addition, he said that Al Ahli Hospital has taken other preventive measures such as cancelling meetings, maintaining social distance, taking measure to keep the hospital premises infection-free and limiting the cafeteria service to take away only. As part of its efforts, Al-Ahli Hospital has formed a COVID-19 taskforce compromising experts from across the entire hospital.
The best way to prevent COVID-19 is to avoid being exposed to the virus.
To help curtail the spread of the COVID-19, public health officials recommend good personal hygiene practices, social distancing (minimize the number of interactions that provide the opportunity for the disease to spread), minimizing close contact among groups of people and avoiding contact with others if you feel ill.
Please follow these simple steps to protect yourself and others:
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol if soap and water is not available.
Stay home if you are sick.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Put distance between yourself and other people.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.
If you are sick with flu-like illness, such as fever, coughing or shortness of breath, please call Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) Coronavirus Hotline on 16000. Testing for COVID-19 is only available in Hamad Medical Corporation and Primary Health Care Corporation, not at private hospitals or clinic.
