Doha, Qatar: The Travel Clinic at Hamad Medical Corporation’s Communicable Diseases Center (CDC) has expanded its services and travellers are urged to get services ahead of time.
The clinic continues to see an increased number of travellers and is now open five days a week and travellers are advised to seek consultations, and vaccines depending on the travel destination, Medical Director of the CDC, Dr. Muna Al Maslamani told The Peninsula.
The Travel Clinic provides preventive medical care such as vaccinations, malaria prophylaxis, pre-travel consultations, counselling, and treatment for those returning from overseas trips who suspect they may have a travel-related illness.
“We have five clinics per week; from 8am to 11am and from 12 noon to 3pm. Travellers visiting overseas countries where vaccinations, medicines and other preventive measures are required seek services from the Travel Clinic,” said Dr. Al Maslamani.
According to Dr. Al Maslamani, 1040 travellers have visited the clinic between January and June this year, while 1299 travellers sought services throughout 2022.
Three types of individuals seek services at the Travel Clinic.
“The main category is travellers are about 85% those who require a travel risk assessment, counselling and administration of proper vaccinations and prophylactic medications as required according to their travel destinations,” said Dr. Al Maslamani.
Others are sick returning travellers, who came back from their travel sick and require specialised care and with proper diagnosis and treatment are around 5%; also, some who seek vaccination are not travellers but require some vaccinations are about 12% of those who seek services at the Travel Clinic.
Travellers can get referred by a Primary Health Care Corporation physician or get an appointment by calling the hotline 40254003.
“Travelling is an enjoyment and gives an opportunity to explore. But when we travel, we have to choose the destination with the least risk.
Also, make sure that you have received appropriate consultation in the travel clinic or from a primary physician addressing the risk associated with this travel and make sure that it is updated as per the national vaccination programme and got the travel vaccines in combinations with prophylactic medications like malaria prophylaxis if required,” said Dr. Al Maslamani.
Some 23 types of vaccines including for seasonal flu are available at the Travel Clinic.
Dr. Al Maslamani also advised them to have travel insurance, take proper preventive measures like food and water, safety measures and mosquito bite avoidance measures and consult the Travel Clinic if experience any illnesses.
She also emphasised that parents who travel with children should take all safety measures and said that it’s very important to get disease prevention advice for the countries they will visit as well as to ensure that children have received all required vaccines.
