DOHA: The newborn screening programme at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) successfully checked more than 200,000 babies since its launch in 2003, says an official.
Dr Hilal Al Refai, medical director at Women’s Hospital told Al Sharq that the screening programme ( for early detection of inherited metabolic diseases) has helped many babies avoid the risk of disability and save the lives of many others. He said 27 new beds have been included for the newborn care unit at the Women’s Hospital as part of an expansion completed recently.
A new advanced isolation room for respiratory diseases has been set up along with four rooms for mother and child care. The current expansion included addition of 11 new beds in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for premature babies. The section for premature births has well-trained and qualified doctors and well-equipped ambulance service, he added.
Quoting the head of the anaesthesia section at the hospital, the daily said that it has set up a new unit for treatment of pain following anaesthesia, with trained staff. This aims at relieving pain of the patients after operation.
The section has also introduced latest equipment for anaesthesia, some of which can be handled by the patients themselves to reduce pain during operation. Using a special device, the patient can control the dose to reduce pain. The machine will automatically prevent overdose.
The section currently has 26 people besides five anaesthesia experts. The number of consultants rose from three to 12 last year, with seven specialists.
An anaesthesia expert is available round-the-clock in addition to a consultant for emergency cases who can be made available in 15 minutes.
With advanced techniques, the section has reduced the rate of anaesthesia related complications to the minimum, said the expert. The Peninsula
