Al Sadd PEC providing high quality care to children with COVID-19

Since the start of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Qatar has been working above and beyond to ensure the availability of healthcare facilities and resources to meet the challenge.

The country has turned existing facilities into designated COVID-19 testing and treatment centers and also established new hospitals within a short amount of time.

While it intensifies the fight against the virus, Qatar continues to make sure those affected by the disease receive high-quality care and treatment.

With three to four percent COVID-19 cases confirmed in children under 14 years of age, Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Al Sadd Pediatric Emergency Center (PEC) has been designated as a COVID-19 treatment facility for children.

This comes as the healthcare sector’s comprehensive plan to ensure pediatric patients with COVID-19 receive the highest quality of medical care in the country.

Within a single facility, the state-of-the-art Al Sadd PEC offers the best possible care to young patients infected with COVID-19.

Acting Chairman of Pediatrics and Director of Pediatric Emergency Centers, Dr Mohammed Al Amri, said, “What we have seen, both in Qatar and around the world, is that people of all ages can contract COVID-19, but the evidence to date shows that very few children experience severe symptoms if they become infected.”

“While this is encouraging, it does not mean that children are immune to the virus and we are seeing a number of children being admitted to Al Sadd PEC a result of moderate to severe COVID-19 symptoms,” Dr Al Amri stated.

Dr Al Amri stressed on the importance of preventive measures for children. These include regular hand washing, not touching eyes, nose, and mouth and following physical distancing guidelines, he said.

While children are at low risk of experiencing severe COVID-19 symptoms, they can act as carriers and pass on the virus to others in the family.

Children can transmit the virus to parents or elderly relatives who may have chronic medical conditions and be more vulnerable to severe symptoms, Dr Al Amri mentioned.

“As with many of the positive cases we are seeing in Qatar, children may be asymptomatic, meaning they have the virus but display no symptoms. Because of this, it is important that all children stay at home as much as possible, even if they appear healthy, and adhere to social and physical distancing recommendations,” he stressed.

Al Sadd PEC remains open for regular services:

Speaking to Qatar TV yesterday, Dr Al Amri clarified that while the Al Sadd PEC has been a designated facility for children with COVID-19, it continues to offer other healthcare services as usual.

"Suspect or confirmed COVID-19 cases have a special entrance and exit which are completely separate from the main entrance of Al Sadd PEC," he said.

The treatment facilities for COVID-19 at the PEC are sealed and separated from normal operations of the center, he said.

"Each pediatric COVID-19 patient admitted at Al Sadd PEC is assigned a separate room with one parent allowed to accompany while maintaining all the necessary preventive measures. The same is applicable at the health quarantine facilities outside the center for children," the official explained.

For any queries, or concerns related to COVID-19 in Qatar, the public can contact a 24/7 hotline set up by the Ministry. The hotline number is 16000 and is toll-free.

Here's everything you need to know about the virus, including ways to protect yourself.

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Cover Image Credit: Twitter/@hmc_qatar