Joseph Varghese/Staff Reporter

The Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) will open 6 new health centres this year to meet the needs of the growing population of the country , a top health official has said.
The official also revealed that the PHCC would engage private operators to run some of the health centres and a select number of health centres would offer round the clock services, seven days a week. In the near future, health cards of residents will be brought under the health centres in the area of their residence.
Mariam Ali Abdulmalik, managing director of PHCC said the organisation has been on an expansion spree. She also revealed that there would be extensive recruitment of staff for various medical positions in the organisation.
Abdulmalik said: “ The Corporation is moving forward with its developmental projects, in order to meet the public aspirations and to fulfill their needs. In 2015, Ashghal will hand over us six new facilities for health centres. They are located in Al Karana, Al Ghwaireya, Al Roda, Rawdat Al Khail, Al Ebb (Wellness + Health Centre) and Umm Salal."
She said the corporation will have 19 new health centres by the end of 2018.
Other than the six that will be opened this year , the remaining 13 are planned as follows: Al Waab, Al Jamaa, Al Wajbah, Muaither, South Al Wakra, Al Mashaf, Ain Khalid, Al Khor, Al Shamal and Al Sadd , Madinat Khalifa , Al Hilal and Bani Hajer .

The official continued: “We also will be recruiting more medical staff in the coming years. In 2014 , 83 doctors with various specialties were hired which is an increase of 14.3 % in the number of doctors in health centres compared to last year.”
The PHCC managing director noted that the worki

ng hours in some of the health centres such as Mesaimeer health centre have been extended."The Mesaimeer facility will operate 7 days a week from this year and the working hours in Al Karaana health centre has been modified to stay open until 3 pm. The working schedule in Al Ghwaireya health centre has been also adjusted based on the results of a survey which was conducted with the residents of the area,” she added.
Abdulmalik stated that weekend services will be extended to other health centres where these services are not available at present. "At present, only Al Garaffa and Airport health centres inside Doha, do not have weekend services.Once we recruit enough manpower, these health centres also will have weekend services.We are waiting for the workforce to arrive.”
According to the managing director, the wellness centres under the PHCC will provide patients with high quality services and facilities such as gym, swimming pool, and physical therapy. Moreover, the wellness centres will have special facilities such as library and training halls.
The services which will be provided at the new health centres include: Advisory clinic, control rooms, specialised clinics, dental clinic, child and maternal health clinics, communicable diseases clinic, primary emergency care department, radiology services (diagnostic, rays, panorama, ultrasound, patient health education, departments for tests before marriage, laboratory , isolation rooms, pharmacy, swimming pool, sports clubs-spa, men's health clinic, medicine, foot care, cooking lessons, cafeteria and ambulance services.