The Qatar Red Crescent (QRC)-managed ambulance and rescue system saw “great improvements” over the past year, the organisation has said in a statement.

This comes as greater attention is being paid to the quantitative and qualitative expansion of activities and capabilities, according to the statement, which also points to the continuous training of staff to ensure better performance that matches international standards.

QRC takes on a full range of healthcare responsibilities, which include medically covering most Qatar-hosted local and international conferences, sports events and festivals, offering first aid and rescue services for visitors at Sealine Beach, tourist events at Souq Waqif, Qatar National Convention Centre and major malls, and carrying out seasonal medical programmes such as the Ramadan healthcare project and Qatar’s Haj medical mission.

Over the past few months, the sector has been supported with additional well-equipped ambulances for high-quality, timely and cost-effective emergency response. This is part of a long-term strategy for development through optimised utilisation of available resources, recruitment of qualified volunteers and integration of advanced technologies.

Under a partnership agreement signed with the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) in 2004, QRC secured healthcare services at all of the QOC’s sports facilities, including Doha Golf Club, Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club, Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, Losail International Circuit and Qatar Racing Club.

In relation to stadium medical coverage, QRC ambulances and paramedics were present in more than 48 sports tournaments of different Qatari sports federations, as well as the internationally celebrated Qatar speedboat race.

In addition, there were social events covered exclusively by QRC. During the Qatar National Day and Sport Day ceremonies, QRC deployed 21 ambulances and four field clinics at the most crowded locations, ready to intervene immediately in case of an emergency by providing first aid or moving a case to hospital.

QRC also has resident medical centres at big shopping malls such as Villaggio and Hyatt Plaza, as well as in the Aspire Zone complex. Some 1,500 patients with varying health problems were medicated with maximum professionalism and care, the statement adds.

One of QRC’s most important medical projects is Aspetar, the first orthopaedic and sports medicine hospital in the Gulf region, officially accredited by F-MARC as a FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence. With a budget exceeding QR1,600,000, the hospital covered more than 36 events the year round, most notably the friendly between Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain in January.

Practical in-service training is a top priority for QRC with the objective of improving their work and use of modern technology and helping them adopt best practices and cope with medical technological advancements.

The professional development of QRC medical workers includes immediate life support, international trauma life support, advanced cardiovascular life support, disaster management, sports medicine, firefighting, ambulance driving and medical ethics courses. In the field of emergency response training, QRC medical teams participated in the 10-day Disaster Management Camp at the Al Khor Marine Scout Camp with 300 volunteers from both within and outside Qatar, as well as the Exercise Eagle Resolve - organised by Qatar’s National Defence and Crisis Management Centre and designed to increase preparedness among the armed forces and civil society organisations through engagement with several Gulf and world armed forces.

QRC’s medical sector applies a 24/7 sophisticated ambulance communication system to ensure instant contact and response to emergencies anywhere, particularly life-threatening ones. 

 

 

 

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