Qatar- HMC's Travel Clinic services expanded to thrice a week
Date
7/27/2019 4:43:38 AM
(MENAFN- The Peninsula) By Fazeena Saleem I The Peninsula
The services of travel clinic at Hamad Medical Corporation's Communicable Diseases Center (CDC) are now available thrice a week for travellers, said a senior official.
The clinic operated only on Mondays in the interim and is now open on Wednesdays and Thursdays as well to meet the increase in demand, Dr Muna Al Maslamani, Medical Director of the CDC, told The Peninsula.
The clinic functions as a ‘One Stop Shop' for travellers in Qatar and also provides highly specialized advice and treatment for those returning from overseas trips who suspect they may have a travel-related illness. The clinic will operate on an appointment basis and patients will be able to call and book ahead of time and seek services on Mondays between 12 noon and 3pm and on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8am to 11am.
Opened in March 2017, the clinic has seen an increase in demand. In 2018 it received 824 travellers seeking services and in the first six months of 2019 the numbers were 558, according to Dr Al Maslamani. 'Travellers visiting overseas countries where vaccinations, medicines and other preventive measures are required seek services from the Travel Clinic.
The clinic also provides assessment and medical care for travelers returning with travel-related infections. Specialized physicians will do a thorough assessment of the traveller's physical and health condition as well as travel details. We also provide specific advice and counselling to travellers who plan to undertake activities such as diving, mountain climbing as well as cruising, she said.
'We recommend travelers to consult with Travel Clinic doctors about what vaccines and medicines are needed based on travel destination, trip duration and activities. The World Health Organization recommends getting travel advice and especially vaccinations four to six weeks prior to the travel date. However, we advise people to come to us at least two weeks before the travel date as this time is required for the vaccinations to develop the resistance power within the body, she added.
Those accessing the clinic's services will be able to attain a certificate of vaccination (required for travel to some countries) as well as disease prevention advice for the countries they will visit. These include recommended 15 vaccines including for measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis, polio, hepatitis A and B and the yearly flu shot.
Some additional vaccines for yellow fever, rabies, and diphtheria may also be required for travel, depending on the country being visited. Vaccinations will be free for all, unless the medication required is specialized (for example Japanese Encephalitis). Travelers can now make appointments at the clinic by calling 40254003 from 7am to 7pm.
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