Doha, March 18 (QNA) - HE Minister of Public Health Mansoor bin Ebrahim Al Mahmoud has confirmed that the health sector in the State of Qatar is fully primed to handle any potential contingency, with a strategic stockpile of medicines and medical essentials, along with medical and nursing personnel and health practitioners operating with a high level of efficiency and professionalism.

Interviewed by Qatar Television tonight, Al Mahmoud said the overriding interest given by the judicious leadership of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to the health sector has significantly supported the advancement of this sector, keeping it fully prepared, flexible, and capable of responding to any contingency.

The infrastructure of the health sector in the State, in terms of facilities and emergency centers, literally qualifies it for handling any contingency amid the current situation, the Minister underlined.

Al Mahmoud assured that all hospitals and health facilities in the nation operate around the clock, with operations chambers in place to monitor the situation and coordinate work 24/7, in addition to monitoring all figures and data, whether in terms of hospital readiness, capacity planning, or accommodating contingencies and their variable levels.

The attention given by the prudent leadership in Qatar to the health sector over the past years has helped this sector possess rock-solid components and pillars, as well as a world-class infrastructure, including a network of hospitals that comprises 26 hospitals across the public, private, and quasi-government sectors, he pointed out.

HE the Minister further elaborated that 60,000 health manpower, nurses, and health practitioners are operating with a high degree of efficiency and professionalism, a testament to the flexibility and capability of the health sector to respond to any contingency.

  Al Mahmoud noted that the medical and administrative staff in the health sector work around the clock to provide daily care services, including dialysis, childhood vaccinations, and patient visits at health centers.

He also pointed out that the blood supply in the State of Qatar is sufficient and above the required level, emphasizing that all these indicators demonstrate the health sector's readiness to respond to any contingency.

Regarding the trauma cases recorded as a result of this crisis, Al Mahmoud clarified that, since the beginning of the crisis, cases of minor and superficial traumas have been treated at medical institutions and health centers and were discharged on the same day, except for one case that remains under treatment in the hospital in stable condition, with hope that they will be discharged in the near future.

In regard to his comments on the strategic health stockpile in terms of medicines and medical supplies, HE the Minister outlined that the nation possesses a combined system for medical supplies. He indicated that there is a strategic stockpile being preserved to supply medical institutions when necessary.

This stockpile hasn't been used thus far and is sufficient for nine months, Al Mahmoud noted, adding that all supply chains are monitored constantly to ensure hospitals and the health sector are capable of importing medicines and medical supplies. He further noted that there is combined coordination with the GCC states in this respect, and no issues have been reported in importing medicines and medical equipment.

In addition, Al Mahmoud reiterated that the medical stockpile is available and closely monitored, asserting that even if there had been any problem with imports, it would have been resolved instantly.

  He called on community members to obtain information and news from official sources, reassuring all that the health sector is fully ready as part of the priorities given by the wise leadership of the State of Qatar.

Al Mahmoud further emphasized that the health sector is flexible and capable of handling any potential incidents, recalling the existing coordination among all public agencies operating in a highly professional way, particularly the Civil Defense, as well as other government agencies, all undertaking their roles in a highly professional manner to respond to incidents. (QNA)