QRCS medical team concludes mission in Gaza

A medical delegation of Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) and Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has concluded its mission in Palestine, which involved visits to Jenin Hospital in West Bank and Al-Shifaa Medical Complex in Gaza.The delegation included Dr Mohamed al-Hatou, senior consultant and head of the neuromuscular department, Dr Wasfy Jameel Hamad, senior consultant and head of the ICU and pulmonology department, and Dr Maher Saqqur, senior consultant and head of the department of neurology.Dr Hamad said the visit focused on providing healthcare services for patients, assessing the capacity of medical staff and nurses in the departments of pulmonology, ICU and neurology, and identifying the technical needs of medical equipment and consumables amid the blockade.“We have seen a dire need for more and better qualified physicians, nurses and assistants,” he added. “As we come back to Doha, we will recommend a twinning agreement between the Qatari and Palestinian healthcare providers. I call upon everyone related to the health sector to visit Palestine and serve our brothers there.”While assessing information on Palestinian hospitals, Dr al-Hatou pointed out that the delegation discovered a need for specialised medical centres such as a cerebrovascular accident centre.Also, a deficit in technical specialists was found, particularly magnetic resonance neurography and respiratory technicians, as they are key to medical monitoring and assessment.“We will arrange for a project to provide high-tech electroencephalographers and training for technicians,” he added.According to Dr Saqqur, the delegation delivered lectures in Jenin and Gaza on a wide range of critical medical topics. He valued the contributions by QRCS and partners, which would help improve the quality of medical services provided for Palestinian patients.