A total of 734 injury or illness cases, including 483 Qataris, were reported at the Sealine Medical Clinic of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) during the 2015-2016 camping season. The number was 719 last season. There were no cases of drowning reported at the clinic.

“This was the sixth year of the camping clinic, operated for nearly 26 weekends from the end of October to mid-April,” said Dr Hamid Ghareeb, medical supervisor at the clinic and consultant at HMC’s Medical Administration Department.
“Among the number of cases, over 600 were adult males, while there were 42 females and 77 children. Most of the cases received full treatment at the clinic while 67 were transported to a HMC hospital by ambulance or LifeFlight helicopter service," he explained.
According to Mr Ghareeb, a total of 572 patients were treated for mild and moderate illnesses such as fever and stomach aches, diarrhea, cough, wounds, burns, asthma while severe cases treated included bone fractures and heart attacks.
The emergency trauma centre provide clinical and emergency services during weekends for people who come for camping. At any given time on a weekend, there is one doctor and one nurse available as well as a fully equipped ambulance.
“ Several cases of fractures were reported this season as they use the quad bikes on the sand dunes. Many suffer injuries and fractures. While simple fractures are managed at the clinic, cases of compound fractures or fractures that need internal fixation or operations are sent to HMC.”
“Heart attack patients are stabilised at the clinic and once declared out of danger they are transported to the hospital," he added.

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