HMC Ambulance Service to cover key areas in Eid holidays

Hamad Medical Corporation's (HMC) Ambulance Service plan for covering Eid al-Fitr events is based on an assessment of the situation during Ramadan as the demand for the service has remained stable since the beginning of the holy month, a senior official said.

Ali Darwish, assistant Executive Director of Ambulance Service, told local Arabic daily Arrayah that the Eid al-Fitr ambulance plan will focus on covering the camping areas and the beaches across the country, in addition to fulfilling requests for patient transfers between hospitals during the Eid holiday.

The plan also prioritises covering vital areas and public gatherings, such as the Corniche, Aspire Park, Katara, Souq Waqif, and Old Al-Wakra Market, various beaches, and specific events and celebrations based on requests received.

Ambulance coverage will also be provided at the Eid prayer grounds at Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Mosque, the Abu Samra border crossing and Hamad International Airport, as Qatar attracts a large number of tourists and visitors from the region during Eid al-Fitr holidays.

The official explained that the Ambulance Service currently receives around 750 calls per day and operates from 65 station points, with a total of 177 ambulances of various types, including those designated for ambulance supervisors, critical cases, and patient transfers.

The response time remains at the standard level of 10 minutes within Doha and 15 minutes outside the city and the outskirts of the country.

The station points are strategically distributed across the country based on accident reports and analytics that identify high-incident areas, ensuring ambulances are positioned near these locations.

These points are dynamically adjusted throughout the year based on the changing call patterns across Qatar.

Four-wheel-drive ambulances are used to respond to medical cases in the desert dune areas and rough terrains, while air ambulances are deployed for critical cases in remote locations, particularly in the Sealine and Khor Al Adaid. During Ramadan, the air ambulance transported an average of two cases per day.

The Ambulance Service is divided into two sections: the first handles daily emergency calls received through 999, while the second is dedicated to scheduled patient transfers, such as for cancer patients and those undergoing dialysis, with requests received via 16060.

Darwish stressed the importance of this service in ensuring the safe transfer of patients between healthcare facilities, noting that around 500 patients are transported daily, reflecting the significant efforts of the ambulance service in supporting them.

The official urged the public to use ambulance services strictly for emergencies, highlighting that about 20% of current calls involve minor cases that could be treated at the primary healthcare centres. This would help ensure that ambulance resources remain available for more serious cases and prevent unnecessary strain on the system.

He also mentioned that the ambulances are equipped with advanced technologies, including automated traffic light systems, which open signals automatically when the emergency siren is activated. In addition, the ambulances are equipped with mapping systems to determine call locations and are linked to the hospitals to facilitate communication and preparation for incoming patients.

Darwish called on all motorists to co-operate with the Ambulance Service by clearing the way for emergency vehicles, as this significantly helps in reaching incident sites quickly. He stressed that traffic authorities handle cases of drivers crossing red lights to allow ambulances to pass with flexibility, ensuring that such violations are dismissed.

In cases where a traffic fine is issued for yielding to an ambulance, the Ambulance Service can be contacted to verify the incident and facilitate the removal of the violation after confirming the circumstances.