QNA/Doha
HE the Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari yesterday met with officials from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) to celebrate the closing of Lebsayyer Field Hospital as a Covid-19 hospital and transforming it into an isolation facility.
During the meeting, HE Dr al-Kuwari highlighted the significance of Lebsayyer Field Hospital as one of Qatar’s dedicated Covid-19 hospitals.
“The operation of Lebsayyer Field Hospital is the result of a strong partnership between the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), Ministry of Defence and Hamad Medical Corporation, and I would like to convey my deep gratitude to the Ministry of Defence for their support of the healthcare sector throughout this pandemic,” said HE Dr al-Kuwari
“The rapid commissioning and opening of Lebsayyer Hospital is a wonderful example of the healthcare sector’s ability to adapt and innovate during this Covid-19 pandemic and the spirit of national collaboration across sectors. I know that as we, like the rest of the world, start to prepare for a second wave, you and your teams will be ready when called to action,” she added.
Chair of the System Wide Incident Command Committee for Covid-19, Dr Saad al-Kaabi, said: “The success of our strategy to expand hospital capacity has relied on a system-wide approach, with each Covid-19 facility playing an important role in the delivery of care to patients. Lebsayyer Field Hospital’s role as a step-down hospital for Covid-19 patients who have been discharged from other Covid-19 hospitals, but who still need low-level medical support, has been vital in relieving pressure on the other facilities.”
Located near Al Sheehaniya on Dukhan Road, Lebsayyer Field Hospital is a 504-bed facility that was previously used as a military hospital by the MoD. About 170 nurses and 25 doctors have been working in the hospital since it opened in April. The closing of Lebsayyer Field Hospital as a Covid-19 hospital follows the recent closures of Ras Laffan and Mesaieed Hospitals as dedicated novel coronavirus treatment facilities.
Clinical lead for Lebsayyer Field Hospital, Dr Abdulla al-Naimi, said: “I am proud of how our doctors, nurses and support staff at Lebsayyer Field Hospital have responded to the unique challenges presented by Covid-19. At the height of the pandemic here in Qatar, we had nearly 500 patients being cared for in the hospital.
“With the number of active Covid-19 cases in Qatar declining, we are also now providing isolation services at Lebsayyer Field Hospital for Covid-19 patients.”
Medical Services Commander at the Ministry of Defence, Brigadier Dr Assad Ahmed Assad, explained how the MoD has supported the healthcare sector with the operation of Lebsayyer Hospital.
The MoD, under the direction of HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah, built Lebsayyer Hospital as a military medical facility “and we worked hard with the team from HMC to quickly ensure that the hospital was suitable for managing Covid-19 patients”, he said.
“The Ministry of Defence is proud to have supported the Ministry of Public Health and its healthcare partners in Qatar’s comprehensive measures to protect the population from Covid-19,” added Brig Dr Assad.
