Dr Ameera Al Khuzaei
Doha: The Primary Health care Corporation (PHCC) plays a significant role in implementing the recently launched Qatar National Dementia Plan (QNDP) and early diagnosis of the diseases.
As part of its commitment, PHCC will soon introduce a screening method to detect elderly with cognitive impairment or early stages of dementia, said Dr Ameera Al Khuzaei, Community Medicine Consultant, Adult Health Service Manager, Service Development Department, PHCC.
PHCC will be working in partnership with all stakeholders as part of implementing the QNDP. It will include developing the national dementia care pathway, develop national clinical guidelines, conduct dementia awareness and education campaigns for service users, families and health and social care staff and play a crucial or a very important role in the early identification of patients with cognitive impairment or dementia.
“We are investing in campaigns and educational material to raise awareness among the population and reduce the stigma of dementia and these social trends will tend to bring patients to us a bit earlier. When patients do present, we are able to offer a pathway of diagnosis and care that is clear and can be done in a reasonable timescale,” she told The Peninsula.
PHCC supports the early identification of dementia by supporting the currently on-going national dementia survey. The survey is currently taking place in selected PHCC Health Centers where approximately 1000 patients have already been interviewed using a clinical tool to assess for cognitive impairment. Some of these patients have been referred to the memory clinic at Hamad Medical Corporation for further assessment.
The Ministry of Public Health recently launched the national dementia plan for Qatar, representing a comprehensive framework for the ongoing development of care for people living with dementia.
“PHCC has been fully engaged and involved in the development of the QNDP where some of us participated in a number of workshops and meetings to support the development of the QNDP.
We have also ensured that PHCC is represented at the national dementia stakeholder group meetings and many other meetings,” said Dr Al Khuzaei.
“PHCC is committed to get all its staff well trained to receive and deal with elderly clients including those who are suspected to have dementia. We believe that primary health care should be the foundation and the gatekeeper to access health care services, including accessing services for people with cognitive impairment and dementia,” she added.
QNDP represents the first steps in achieving the 2022 national target of a “one-year increase in Healthy Life Years for the over 65-year-old population” for the Healthy Ageing priority population within the National Health Strategy 2018-2022.
