The Prime Minister and Minister of Interior , H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani cutting a ribbon to open the Enaya Specialised Care Centre. HE Abdullah bin Khalid al-Qahtani and Dr Hanan al- Kuwari are also seen

By Joseph Varghese/Staff Reporter

The Prime Minister and Minister of Interior , H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani has opened the Enaya Specialised Care Centre that will provide specialised medical attention to long-term patients in Qatar.
HE Abdullah bin Khalid al-Qahtani, Minister of Public Health, Dr Hanan al- Kuwari, HMC’s managing director and other senior officials of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) were present on the occasion. After the official opening of the centre on Thursday, HE the Prime Minister toured the facility and interacted with the staff of the centre.
At a press conference later, officials gave the details of the Hamad Medical Corporation facility and the services offered at the centre.
“This is an important development in patient care,” said Dr al- Kuwari. “Enaya is part of our strategy to redefine continuing care in Qatar. The aim of the centre is to enhance the ability of patients to function independently and engage more with family and friends, under the care of a team of medical professionals.”
“The centre plays a vital role in supporting and nurturing some of our long term patients, ensuring that they receive the highly specialised medical care and attention they need,” she added.
Mahmoud al-Raisi, chief of Continuing Care Group HMC, said that the new facility provides a home-like environment for patients and their families.
“It features modern patient rooms with personal TV screens, a local landline, smart lighting systems and state-of-the-art beds. Amenities include activity rooms, male and female gyms, therapy rooms, a sensory stimulation room, hair salon, laundry and a portable X-ray machine,” he said.
Enaya, which means care in Arabic, is a centre for patients who require round-the-clock monitoring and treatment from specialist nurses and doctors. It is one of its kind in the country and one of the very few in the Arab world.
At present, the centre has two buildings of four floors each and has 156 beds. There are 240 staff members including 118 nurses, 2 consultants and 2 specialists. At present there are 134 patients availing the facilities at the centre, 93 male and 41 female.
Dr Abdul Aziz Darwish, medical director, Rumailah Hospital said that a significant number of the patients at the facility are Qataris. “The centre provides 24 hour services. Both the building of the centre are interconnected and has some of the best facilities which include isolation rooms, individual therapy rooms, hair saloon and several technology assisted patients friendly features among others.”
Dr. Hanadi al- Hamad, consulatant and assistant director, Geriatrics, HMC said : “We have an excellent team of specialists who provide not only the best possible medical care but also the best atmosphere for the patients to engage with their family and friends. The capacity of the facility has been doubled with all the necessary features as to accommodate the increasing population.”
With the expanded capacity, long-term care patients can now be transferred from Hamad General Hospital (HGH) to Enaya, where they will continue to receive round-the-clock care in a more appropriate setting.
By moving to the calmer environment at Enaya, not only will the patients’ healing process be improved, it will also reduce pressure on acute specialist care facilities at HGH, as it will free up the equivalent of 50 tertiary care beds.