Healthcare system ready in service of World Cup
● PM visits National Health Incident Command Centre
HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz al-Thani yesterday paid an inspection visit to the National Health Incident Command Centre (NHICC) at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC)’s Ambulance Service headquarters.
He listened to an explanation about the centre and its joint services with all representatives of the health sector in the state, which operates daily and round the clock. Also, he was briefed on the preparations and support services that the centre will provide during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
He was accompanied by a number of ministers and senior officials.
HE the Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed alKuwari stressed that the NHICC is a core component of the healthcare sector’s extensive FIFA World Cup service provision and stands ready to lead the co-ordination of the healthcare system’s response at any time in the event of a major incident.
“Over the coming weeks, almost every part of our healthcare system will have a role to play in helping us achieve our goal of providing a comprehensive range of medical and support services across approximately 100 FIFA World Cup competition and non-competition sites. It has taken a truly incredible effort from healthcare teams across the healthcare sector to get us to this stage; with all our plans on track ahead of the tournament start, and I am confident we are ready to support a safe and healthy FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022,” said HE Dr al-Kuwari.
The NHICC was established in 2020 to lead the co-ordination of the healthcare system’s response at any time in the event of a major incident. The centre co-ordinates the operations of key healthcare providers in Qatar, including HMC, Primary Health Care Corporation and Sidra Medicine.
Staffed and operational 24/7, the NHICC has supported healthcare efforts at recent major sporting events, including the Qatar Grand Prix and FIFA Arab Cup, both of which were held in 2021. The NHICC will be placed in a heightened state of readiness for the duration of the World Cup “to ensure we are in the best possible position to respond to any incident that might occur”, it was observed.
Operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the Workforce Hub facilitates the documentation of all staff time and attendance records, daily staff briefings and collection of FIFA accreditation passes, among other tasks, while providing the central location from which clinical staff will be transported to a range of competition and non-competition sites each day.