By Joey Aguilar/Staff Reporter

More than 5,000 low-income expatriate workers from Asian countries, including over 150 housemaids,benefited from the free medical check-ups and other services offered during the 12th medical camp yesterday at the Tariq Bin Ziyad Independent School for Boys in Salata Jadeed.

The event was jointly organised by Indian Islamic Association (IIA) Qatar, Indian Doctors Club Qatar and Indian Medical Association-Qatar under the patronage of the Supreme Council of Health (SCH), Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), and Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC). Ooredoo was the sponsor.

Over 100 paramedics and 150 doctors from the HMC, PHCC and Indian polyclinics took part.  

The camp offered women oral and breast cancer screening, physiotherapy services and counselling by specialists.

More than 150 housemaids were screened at a ladies’ clinic and given advice on breast cancer and lifestyle, said Dr KP Najeeb, president of the Indian Doctors’ Club and the Indian Medical Association-Qatar.

Najeeb said new programmes at the medical camp included physiotherapy services, echo cardiogram for people suspected to have cardiac disease, and the distribution of free health cards for those who could not afford to continue their medications.

Newly-diagnosed cases of diabetes and some skin diseases were recorded this year, he said, adding the skin diseases were caused by “unhealthy lifestyles” and other factors.

High incidence of diabetes and high blood pressure was recorded in the past years. Findings of each medical camp are submitted to the SCH for analysis.

Some of the major polyclinics in Qatar have accepted patients from the medical camp on a follow-up basis. IIA-Qatar is conducting two follow-up camps.

Abdurahman Ahmed KT, president of IIA-Qatar, told Gulf Times that one of the reasons for holding the medical camp was health education.

“Stress and overwork are among the factors that lead to diseases,” he said.

Indian Ambassador Sanjiv Arora, who led the inauguration yesterday, lauded the efforts of hundreds of IIA volunteers, doctors, and the paramedical staff who contributed to the success of the camp.

“This camp represents a good example of multiculturalism, mutual respect, and co-operation among members of different communities living in Qatar,” he said.

Guests at the event included Ooredoo public relations and marketing director Fatima Sultan al-Kuwari, Primary Health Care Corporation executive director Naser Abdulla al-Obaidan, HMC deputy medical director Abdul Wahab al-Musleh, Fanar head of community affairs Fahad al-Ruwaili, and Tariq Bin Ziyad Independent School for Boys owner and director Hamad Mohamed Shabeeb al-Mannai.