By Joseph Varghese/Staff Reporter
The Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) has launched a national introductory campaign to build effective and positive relations with all communities in the country with the theme “The First Step to your Family’s Health.”
The details of the campaign were announced at a press conference held at the office of the PHCC yesterday.
Maryam Yaseen al-Hamadi executive director, Corporate Communications and PR; Hamdi Blekich, marketing manager; Huda Mohsen, acting PR and media manager; Dr Hebah Abu Halawah, campaign and public awareness co-ordinator, and Safiullah Taye, external and international affairs co-ordinator attended the press briefing.
“The aim of the campaign is to engage the community through media coverage about the importance of providing primary healthcare to families as the first step to their health,” al-Hamadi said.
“Our main goal is better health for everyone and advance health and well-being through primary healthcare services which are comprehensive, integrated, person-centred and affordable.”
Blekich said the campaign targets to achieve community participation in PHCC activities.
“We plan to deliver high quality service and provide integrated care. We aim to achieve maximum community participation and provide excellence through a skilled and a professional team. Our focus is excellence in health services, in workforce, in organisational learning, in customer services and in partnerships,” he said.
Al-Hamadi said PHCC has started implementing the ‘One Patient One Record’ system.
“We have already started implementing the system. It was introduced in Al Dyyan Health Centre last month. This will be followed by Al Gharafa Health Centre which will start functioning under the system right after the holy month of Ramadan.”
The official also said that the campaign focuses on the role of PHCC highlighting the principles of PHCC which are the first point of contact, high quality services, person and family-centred.
“It has been a practice with the community here that for any medical emergency, people approach Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC). We plan to inform the people that PHCC is the first point of contact,” she added.
“PHCC will send out the awareness campaign that we are the primary care givers for everyone in the country. Now people cannot get an appointment in HMC without a referral from PHCC. HMC is the second stage of contact for people and maybe when Sidra opens it becomes the next stage. They should understand why they should go to a particular place and when they should go there.”
The campaign will run until June.