As part of the government's plan to develop health services in the State, the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has announced the completion of main works of the Umm Al Seneem Health Centre, implemented by the Building Projects Department to serve about 600 patients per day through 40 medical clinics.
The Umm Al Seneem Health Centre is situated on an area of 27,600sqm and includes a main building of two levels covering all clinics, besides some annex buildings such as a mosque, support services building, guards' building, supervisory workers' room, MEP maintenance centre, an ambulance garage and the provision of 297 parking slots.
Amal al-Sulaiti from the Buildings Projects Department at Ashghal confirmed that the authority accomplished the main works of the Umm Al Seneem Health Centre, which sits in a key residential area to serve around 600 patients per day, to be added to the list of health facilities completed by Ashghal in 2021 such as the Al Khor Health Centre and South Al Wakra Health Centre.
She added that within the framework of the State's support for local products, the proportion of such products used in the project will reach about 40%. The local products include iron, steel, electrical and mechanical tools and glass, among other materials.
Al-Sulaiti said the design has considered the needs of people with special needs, including the provision of signboards with expressive images, Braille script symbols for the blind, suitable washrooms, wide corridors and automatic doors for ease of movement, reception desks with appropriate height, parking lots close to the main entrances and ramps instead of stairs.
The heritage and local culture have also been considered in the design while ensuring its conformity with the highest international standards of fire safety, as well as a 3-star green buildings sustainability rate. Above all, the engineering design of the health centre has incorporated next-generation technologies in the field of medical equipment.
She stressed that the designs of new health centres are in accordance with high standards of quality and safety as well as the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) standards, wherein design and operational considerations are taken into account to achieve 3 stars in terms of energy saving and preserving the environment. These include the use of solar energy for heating water inside buildings; use of natural lighting by making panoramic openings in the ceilings to allow sunlight to enter, contributing to saving electricity used in lighting, and purifying the place as much as possible; creating a system to rationalise the consumption of water inside and outside the building; the provision of green spaces for plants and trees on the premises of the building; and environment preservation during the project implementation period.
 Obaida al-Athba, Engineering Support section head |
Ashghal bagged two sustainability awards (2016) in health and education facilities from Gulf Organisation for Research and Development (Gord), the lead organisation related to the performance-based system of GSAS implementation and development in the Mena region. Over the past years, Gord has examined the designs of building projects –educational and health buildings - and conducted site visits to Ashghal’s projects to verify that the projects match GSAS standards.
Ashghal implemented six new health projects in 2018, including the construction of five new health centres - Al Khor, Al Wakra South, Al Sadd, Al Mashaf and Umm Al Seneem - with a total capacity to serve about 3,500 visitors daily, besides building the National Health Laboratories building, bringing the total value of the six projects to about QR1bn, the authority said in a statement.
The new projects come as a realisation of Qatar National Vision 2030, which is the basis of Ashghal's strategy to provide integrated infrastructure and public utilities that serve all sectors in the country, especially health sector, as the authority has implemented about 24 health facilities during 2004 to 2018.
Services provided in the main building
* Ground Floor - Pharmacy (medical provisions, stores and 6 distribution points); general clinics (14 clinical rooms); women’s wellness clinics (general clinic rooms, 2 maternity clinic rooms, 2 healthy baby clinic rooms and one ultrasound room); outpatient clinics (2 observation rooms capable for 6 patients, 2 treatment rooms for 4 patients, 2 blood sampling rooms, 3 biometrics rooms, isolation room); radiology department (X-ray room, mammogram room, panoramic room, ultrasound room); women’s prayer room; cafeteria.
*
First floor
- specialty clinics (2 ophthalmology, 2 audiology rooms, dermatology clinic, ENT clinic); dental clinics (8 clinics); lab; prenatal training room; nutrition awareness room; multipurpose hall; general services; fitness centre attached to physiotherapy, changing rooms and showers for men and women; restrooms and lockers for men and women workers; meeting room and library; cafeteria
