HMC’s Ambulance Service follows set of measures to ensure safety during COVID-19

One of the major steps taken by the Hamad Medical Corporation’s Ambulance Service related to COVID-19 was to protect the paramedics and patients by providing personal protective equipment, following decontamination measures and set a schedule for smooth transportation of patients.

Also paramedics often undergo swapping and screening for COVID-19, as part of the safety measures, said Ali Darwish, Assistant Executive Director of the Ambulance Service.
He emphasised that all ambulances transporting confirmed or suspected cases of infection with the virus are fully sterilised and disinfected.

According to him, the ambulance staff also follow safety procedures at their homes, including keeping distance from family members.

He added that the ambulance service provides safe transportation for confirmed or suspected cases of infection with the virus, as ambulances have been allocated exclusively to transport these patients and provide paramedics with personal protective equipment to preserve their safety from any possible infection.

“Our Ambulance Service continues to provide safe transportation of people with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. We have assigned ambulances exclusively to transport these patients and our paramedics are fitted with full personal protective equipment to keep them safe from potential infection. All ambulances carrying suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases undergo a full deep clean in order to eliminate any risk of the virus being transferred to other passengers and I can assure the public that all our response vehicles are safe to travel in,” said Darwish.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ambulance Service has seen a 30 percent increase in daily activity.

According to Darwish, besides transporting COVID-19 patients, the Ambulance Service also involved in screening/ swapping at Hamad International Airport and Hamad Port. Ambulance staff helps managing quarantine facilities by having a supervisor at each facility.

“The Ambulance Service also supported Ministry of Public Health in its recent COVID-19 Community Survey by providing the operational capacity for the drive-thru swabbing. About a month ago, we held a large drive-thru service over a few days to support the swabbing of for large numbers (1,200) of home quarantine individuals,” he said.

In addition to its frontline role in COVID-19 measures, the Ambulance Service continues to respond to hundreds of non-COVID-19 emergency calls every day.  Also other community service, including supported discharge (e.g. IV antibiotics, dressings at home), transferring patients from one facility to another, long term care for housebound elderly patients and services at  fixed facilities at the Patient Recovery Centre (57 bedded step down facility) and the HIA’s North-Node Clinic.