The incidence of lifestyle diseases is high among low-income workers in Qatar and many remain unaware that they have this condition. New cases of diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels are common and some workers also suffer from mental stress and cardiovascular diseases, according to healthcare experts involved with an annual free medical camp being organised by Indian Islamic Association Qatar (IIAQ) and Indian Medical Association (IMA). The camp is being held under the auspices of Primary Health care Corporation (PHC) and Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC). It is sponsored by Ooredoo. “Lifestyle diseases are common problems among workers,” said Dr K P Najeeb, President, Indian Doctors Club (IDC) and Indian Medical Association (IMA). He was speaking on the sidelines of a press conference held yesterday to announce the 12th Free Medical Camp and Health Awareness Programme, at the Holiday Villa Hotel and Residence. The camp diagnoses many new cases of diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels and some with skin diseases, said Dr Najeeb who has served the camp for over five years. The camp each year sends a detailed report to the Supreme Council of Health on new and interesting cases. The camp will be held on Friday at Tariq bin Ziad School in Salata Jadeed. It will be open between 7am and 8pm, mainly for low-income workers from Asian countries. More than 1,800 pre-registered low-income labourers from India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will benefit from the camp. Volunteers of the IIAQ have already met these workers who have health problems. Besides the pre-registered workers, more than 2,000 people are expected to attend the camp and the concurrent health awareness exhibition and lectures. The organisers said the camp’s inauguration ceremony, which will begin at 9am, will be attended by Sanjiv Arora, Indian Ambassador, senior officials of the PHC, HMC, Ooredoo and representatives of various governmental and non-governmental organisations. They said more than 150 doctors and 150 para-medical staff will be available to attend to registered participants. Services at the camp include tests for blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol; oral cancer screening; eye tests; ultrasound and ECG tests as well as consultation and counselling. Free medicines will be distributed for common diseases, as per prescription by doctors who include orthopaedics, cardiologists, dermatologists, ophthalmologists, ENT specialists, dentists and general physicians. The Ophthalmology Department at HMC will offer glaucoma test. HMC will also facilitate audiometric tests for interested participants and a breast cancer awareness programme. Hamad Training Centre will make a presentation on basic life support while the Traffic Department will hold an awareness programme. This year, physiotherapy will be provided as a new service at the camp. The camp will also support deserving patients to get health cards. “Many workers who come to the camp don’t have health cards. We help them to get cards so they can go to health centres,” said Dr Najeeb. The camp also aims to provide healthcare education to workers vulnerable to some life-threatening diseases due to stress from their complex work environment, lack of adequate rest and proper healthcare and a disorderly lifestyle. Awareness lectures will be held on ‘Major Health Issues Among Expatriates,’ ‘Healthy Food Habits,’ ‘Stress related Illnesses,’ and ‘Urology Diseases.’ “We aim to increase the knowledge of participants through five lectures,” said Dr Sameer Moopan, General Secretary of Indian Doctors Club and Indian Medical Association in Qatar. “We are going to give more attention to increasing awareness, because we find people coming without knowing that they have some illnesses for a long time.” Referral will be provided for patients to HMC’s walk-in clinics depending on the requirement. The camp provides periodical check-ups and assistance for deserving patients with chronic illnesses. Visitors to the camp who are interested to donate blood and organs will be helped to register with Hamad Medical Corporation. A health quiz contest will be held for grade 8, 9 and 10 students. The press conference was attended by Fatima Sultan Al Kuwari, Director of Public Relations, Ooredoo, Dr Muhammed Ali Al Mahamoud, Head of Pharmacy, Primary Healthcare Corporation, Dr Najeeb, K T Abdurahman, President of IIAQ, Dr Sameer Moopan, General Secretary of IMA, and Mohammed Najeeb C H, General Secretary of IIAQ. Source : Qatar Chronicle

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