In future, couples in Qatar planning to have a child will have access to a pre-conception service in primary health centres, according to the just-launched five-year National Primary Health Care Strategy.
Each health centre will have a dedicated clinic to provide this service which will receive visitors once or twice a month through an appointment system.
The clinic will provide advice on healthy behaviour before and after conception. It will also make food supplements available to all women planning for a baby to help fetal development. Such supplements will include vitamin D, folic acid and iron. Primary health centres will also improve antenatal services. Appointments with a newly expectant woman will be carried out by a doctor or community midwife.
There are midwives at the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) but not community midwives, a role common in most other countries, says the strategy document. To ensure that expectant women are in charge of their pregnancy, they shall have patient held notes in convenient handbag size format, it added.
To improve postnatal care, it is recommended to have a six week appointment for women who have given birth naturally. This is to check the mother’s health and offer family planning advice. In addition, there will be a major breastfeeding initiative to increase breastfeeding rates in Qatar.
“For school age children, there are no specific services provided in primary heath care facilities, although PHCC school nurses are linked with 195 of 214 government schools or 91.4 percent. There are no organised health promotion and preventive services for the adolescent age group,” a document says.
Source :
Qatar Chronicle
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