During this camping season, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC)’s Ambulance Service has deployed more units near beaches in the country based on the number of people visiting the areas. Also, the public is urged to follow safety measures during the camping season but in any case of an emergency Ambulance Service helps in transporting patients to the nearest HMC hospitals, said Ali Darwish, Assistant Executive Director of the Ambulance Service.
He said that the Ambulance Service has analyzed data from previous seasons and deployed the units, however, it is subject to change based on demand.
According to Ali Darwish, air ambulance helicopters, paramedics, critical care paramedics, rapid response paramedics, supervisors, liaison officers and operations managers will also be dispatched by the Events and Emergency Preparedness Section at the Ambulance Service according to its predetermined operations plans to ensure optimum ambulance service coverage in during the camping season.
“The Ambulance Service is always on standby to attend an emergency situation but we advise campers and visitors to Sealine or other areas to follow safety measures to avoid any potential injuries,” Ali Darwish told The Peninsula.
Speaking about the number of cases during the winter camping season, he said there is a clear reduction in the number of fatalities due to awareness created among the public and various restrictions and rules.
This camping season started in the Northern and Central regions of the country on November 1, 2022, and the camping in the Southern regions (Sealine and Khor Al Udeid) on December 20, 2022.
“Although the camping season started late in the Southern regions there were visitors to the areas therefore the Ambulance Service was deployed," he said.
“The demand was less during the World Cup but we dealt with people who don’t know the nature of the area. Now with the camping season officially starting number of visitors have increased,” he added. Ali Darwish said that Ambulance Service coverage in the Sealine area operates 24/7. During weekends Ambulance Service operates with regular ambulance, critical care service, life-flight and 4x4 vehicles, which are deployed for transporting patients from the sand dune areas to either the clinic, a standard ambulance vehicle, or to the helipad.
“We have seven regular ambulances, six 4x4 vehicles and life flight in the Sealine area during the weekends as more people visit the area,” said Ali Darwish.
Ambulance Service supports HMC’s Sealine Medical Clinic working closely with other government entities to provide high-quality healthcare services to campers in the Sealine and surrounding areas. The services were expanded to other beach areas of the country since last camping season.
“Near to the beach area in Dukan we have deployed three ambulances and one 4x4 vehicles; in the Northern area (Al Khor, Ruwais) three regular ambulances and two 4x4 vehicles are deployed. But this to subject to change according to the demand,” said Ali Darwish.
