Doha: The Official Healthcare Spokesperson for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Dr. Yousef Al Maslamani said that plan adopted to provide healthcare services during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 has been very successful so far, with the health sector being able to manage the increasing demand with routine services provided to citizens and residents not being affected.
In a statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Dr. Al Maslamani attributed this great success in accommodating the growing demand for health services, provided for fans, citizens, and residents to planning in advance and to good tournament organisation, in addition to the great experience gained by the health sector in managing medical services during major events.
Dr. Al Maslamani stressed that the strategy followed by the health sector in Qatar in providing health services during the World Cup offered everyone access to medical service as soon as possible, without the fans’ need to travel long distances or go to hospitals to seek treatment.
He pointed out that the allocation of the four hospitals of Aisha Bint Hamad Al Attiyah Hospital (AAH), Al Wakra Hospital, Hamad General Hospital, and Hazm Mebaireek General Hospital to serve World Cup fans also contributed to providing high-quality medical and health services to fans without affecting the usual services provided to citizens and residents.
Dr. Al Maslamani explained that the 100 medical clinics designated for the World Cup receive an average of 1,000 people per day suffering from simple and moderate conditions, such as: cold, headache, or cough, with 35 of them being transferred to hospitals to receive treatment and leave right away, and only about one to two people needed to stay in the hospital for observation, which is a very normal and appropriate rate in such large events.
He also pointed out that the ambulance service continues to play a major role during the World Cup, given that all World Cup stadiums are equipped with ambulances on site, in addition to fan zones and in the various regions of the country. Moreover, ambulance service has maintained its pre-tournament respond time of 8 minutes during the tournament as well.
Dr. Al Maslamani explained that roving paramedics were provided among the crowds in event areas, in addition to other emergency services, including paramedics equipped with Mechanical Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (mCPR) devices, and other first aid requirements.
He stated that all medical services in Qatar, including those of the Ministries of Interior and Defense as well as QatarEnergy, in addition to Hamad Medical Corporation and the Primary Health Care Corporation all contributed to the success of the medical and healthcare strategy during the tournament, together with the additional medical and paramedical cadres that were employed to meet the increasing need for health services, joining the distinguished and skilled cadres of doctors, nurses, technicians and paramedics, who work in the health sector in Qatar.
For his part, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 ambulance service operations manager Saleh Al Mejareh Al Marri said that the health sector’s strategy during the tournament focuses on providing medical care close to the people, which means providing health services in almost all fan sites. He pointed out that during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, a wide range of medical services are provided in every World Cup stadium on match days. This includes up to 13 medical clinics spread around each stadium, as well as medical teams and ambulances designated for footballers, and emergency services that include 31 mobile medical teams, and 8 ambulances per stadium.
Al Marri stated that the health sector provided more than 2,200 medical personnel working in multiple areas and events during the World Cup, providing a full range of healthcare services for all.
He stressed that emergency and urgent care is provided free of charge to all Hayya Card holders, whilst the cost of non-urgent services is charged at the regular rates.
