Qatar ramps up safety measures for Industrial Area workers

The Ministry of Interior (MoI) has said that the general situation in the Industrial Area is quite satisfactory and round-the-clock operations are conducted to ensure the needs of food, medical supplies and others are met.

“The workers are our brothers and we seek to protect them with everything we have especially during this crisis. All medical conditions were taken into consideration particularly for the people who have diabetes or stress diseases and others as their health condition is monitored by healthcare professionals around the clock and the authorities are responding to their requirements,” said Lieutenant Colonel Ahmed Mohammad Al Ghanim, the security commander responsible for Industrial Area.

This was disclosed yesterday during a field trip, which was organised by MoI, of media person and community leaders to the locked-down streets of Industrial Area.Media and community leaders were briefed about the arrangements in place for the workers who are quarantined there.

Al Ghanim, said: “Together with the medical teams, we examined and investigated all areas and labour accommodations to provide the necessary medical care for workers. Also sterilisers, masks, gloves have been distributed among them.”

“A field hospital has been established on which work is under way that can accommodate a large number of patients to take care of them,” he said.

The Ministry of Public Health has already set up an outpatient clinic in the area where testing and examinations are done and all the needed medical care is given for free by the Hamad Medical Corporation.

Al Ghanim pointed out educational leaflets have been distributed in more than nine languages by charities and other organisations.

He further said that all the efforts were being made to protect workers’ rights and also to prevent spread of coronavirus in the country. “The area has also been cleansed and sterilised and this contributes to creating a suitable and healthy environment for employment.”

He said that the area hosts a large number of companies that take care of their workers and communicate with them around the clock. “Also all food items which enter the area are examined by specialists to see their quality and safety,” he said.

Media persons were briefed on the level of the health situation, where a hospital with a capacity of about 200 beds is under construction, and two other hospitals will be built in future. The Peninsula also noticed the efforts/activities of charity organisations including Qatar Charity, which is distributing free food among workers with each basket sufficing one person for 14 days.

To facilitate the process of money transfer for workers, a number of exchanges are opened in the area to provide uninterrupted services to workers. Pharmacies and food supermarkets are also open in the area.

It is clear from the visit that there is a great deal of cooperation on part of workers regarding taking safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The awareness campaigns are also being run in about nine languages to raise workers’ understanding of the viral disease.

Brigadier Abdullah Khalifa Al Moftah, Director of the Public Relations Department at the Ministry of Interior said: “We are keen to communicate with community representatives regarding community matters, especially in the Industrial Area.”