Faster response to child abuse cases in the offing

By Noimot Olayiwola/Staff Reporte

Plans are on to create a straightforward pathway that will hasten the process of handling child abuse cases in Qatar, Hamad Medical Corporation’s Paediatric Emergency Centre (PEC) Department director Dr Khalid al-Ansari said yesterday.

Still regarded as a  taboo, instances of child abuse  are presently under-reported in Qatar, because of the  attending stigma and ostracisation of the victim.

“We are trying to work out a plan with the Ministry of Interior and the attorney general’s office on ways to fasten the process of reporting and establishing child abuse cases,” al-Ansari said.

A total of 120 suspected child abuse cases occurred in Qatar last year.

While itemising some of the challenges facing PECs in performing their roles in treating a case of child abuse, he said that  low levels of notification from Primary Healthcare Centres as well as schools and nurseries were factors influencing child abuse reportage in the country.

“Lack of experience or education on the part of  healthcare workers in identifying a child abuse case is the biggest limitation. Delayed response from the Ministry of Interior, especially during weekends and holidays, despite their 24/7 access, is also an issue,” he lamented.

He claimed that the long process involved in obtaining information about a case of abuse, especially if the perpetrator was one of the parents, was an impediment. Access to  forensic medicine may also be prolonged unnecessarily due to bureaucratic bottlenecks.

“Once we report to the Ministry of Interior, before we can proceed with the forensic and clinical examination of the abused child, we’ll have to go through the long process of obtaining a letter from the HMC’s top officials, which could take between two to five days. I think a much quicker means is needed.”

Meanwhile, the official commended the Qatar Foundation for Children and Women Protection (QFCWP) for its accessibility. “The QFCWP can be accessed 24/7 and they can bypass the police to fine-tune the process aside, paying visit to the homes where the abuse has taken place  to assess the situation. They can also provide shelter for  abused persons if it is not safe for the victim to return home after discharged from the hospital,” he said.

However, al-Ansari explained that  suspected child abuse cases had been classified as higher priority at PECs and staff were trained to treat the abused child.

“On suspecting a case of child abuse, the staff will first isolate the child for physical assessment, which is usually done by a senior consultant after which a forensic medicine examination is conducted if a case of abuse is established.”

He said  the child was then referred to Hamad General Hospital for further treatment and could be admitted if need be.

Al-Ansari stated that in case parents refused treatment of the child and decide to leave hospital against medical advice, the PEC immediately informed the  QFCWP which would follow up the case .

QFCWP receives 5,000 cases

The Qatar Foundation for Child and Women Protection (QFCWP) has received more than 5,000 cases of abuse involving women and children during 2004-2012, an official from the centre disclosed yesterday.