Tribune News Network
Doha
Next month, WISH 2024 – an international gathering hosted by Qatar Foundation’s World Innovation Summit for Health – will bring together experts from across the world in Doha to discuss vital healthcare issues under the overarching theme of ‘Humanizing Health: Conflict, Equity and Resilience’.
It is a theme that is as relevant and urgent as it has ever been, given the ongoing situation in Palestine and the urgent need of its people for critical medical care. Sidra Medicine, a member of Qatar Foundation (QF), is one of the seven hospitals in Qatar selected to provide medical care for injured Palestinian children, playing a pivotal role in triaging the injuries of these patients before their arrival and directing them to hospitals with appropriate treatment expertise.
In early December 2023, Qatar offered treatment to 1,500 injured people as well as the sponsorship of 3,000 orphans from the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. And on April 27, 2024, one-year-old Palestinian child Sanad arrived in Qatar and was admitted to Sidra Medicine for urgent medical care. He had sustained severe injuries that tore parts of his small body after his home in Gaza was bombed on 14 April 2024.
Sidra Medicine has a dedicated unit for treating Gaza’s wounded, featuring 22 beds, each of which carries a story of suffering told by wounds and scars of war, just like Sanad’s story.
Dr Ahmad Al-Hammadi, acting chief medical officer at Sidra Medicine, is the national paediatric lead for the Gaza patient care programme to enable the standardisation of care for all the children coming in from Gaza.
"The early cohort of patients we received at Sidra Medicine where children who had multiple injuries as a result of the bombings,” says Dr Al-Hammadi. "These cases typically involved multiple fractures, open wounds, burns and embedded shrapnel.We treated children who had injuries on their heads, faces, limbs and with abdominal injuries. They all required specialized or complex surgical interventions including amputations, plastic surgery and grafting.
"The children were triaged based on the limited information received before their arrival. This was to ensure that their care was coordinated and to take them immediatelyto the right hospital upon landing in the country. The whole process was a multi-disciplinary team approach and a highly coordinated effort between the hospitals, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Social Development and Family.
"Our surgical teams also set up a unique clinical triaging system, as this was the first time we were dealing with children coming in from a war zone. It required a whole new set of medical protocols. For example, we couldn’t put the children through for an MRI in case they had any shrapnel embedded inside them and set up a different protocol to check for metals before moving the child on for the next level of their care.”
Elaborating on Sanad’s condition, Dr Al-Hammadi said: "Sanad arrived with a complex medical history and underwent several surgical operations, including amputations, facial injury repairs, and intricate procedures to treat deep wounds. Each operation was a step towards saving his life.
"Sanad has been discharged from the hospital and is now in the recovery phase. He requires ongoing medical follow-up, which includes careful wound care and infection management to avoid complications. To support his rehabilitation process, he is also undergoing physical and occupational therapy. This is an essential component for the care and treatment of amputation cases.”
Sanad is currently residing in Doha with his grandmother.
Sidra Medicine plays a vital role in providing this support through specialised care tailored to meet the unique needs of these patients. The hospital has seen over 230 paediatric patients from Gaza, across many of its core services including mental health, orthopedics, surgery, craniofacial and plastics, and the heart center.
In addition to providing basic support services, Dr Al-Hammadi explains that many children require auxiliary health services such as occupational therapy, rehabilitation, physiotherapy, and nutrition, along with other medical specialties like general pediatrics, neurology, and pain management.
"The weeks after the bombings, we also started to receive children who required ongoing medical care, such as children in end stage renal disease requiring hemodialysis,” he said.
He also points out that collaboration among specialties is a crucial element in delivering effective and comprehensive care for Gaza’s wounded, contributing to their healing and rebuilding their lives.
"The needs of Gaza’s patients extend beyond medical care,” he explained. "They require the collaboration of a multidisciplinary team, including doctors, nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and medical interpreters, to address their health, physical, and psychological needs.
"Our mental health team work alongside medical staff to provide immediate psychological support, while dedicated personnel assist patients and their families in navigating our healthcare system and ensuring access to essential resources.”
Sidra Medicine’s medical team is committed to conducting comprehensive assessments to identify individuals with disabilities, chronic illnesses, or special needs. These assessments, as Dr Al-Hammadi explains, involve inquiries about past medical conditions, current medications, and required support, followed by individualized evaluations to understand each person’s unique medical history.
"At Sidra Medicine, we offer facilities equipped for individuals with mobility impairments, featuring ramps, elevators, wide doors, and adjustable beds,” he said. "We also maintain a stock of adaptive equipment such as wheelchairs and specialised medical devices.We worked closely with Hamad Medical Corporation to refer children who underwent amputation, for prosthesis.”
According to Dr Al-Hammadi, Sidra Medicine believes that teams comprising diverse cultural backgrounds are better equipped to understand and respect patients’ cultural needs.
"Our staff undergo training in cultural sensitivity and awareness of various disabilities to enhance respectful communication and understanding,” he said. "We work to foster collaboration among healthcare providers, social workers, case managers, and community organizations to deliver comprehensive care.
Describing his personal experience in providing medical care to Gaza patients, Dr. Al-Hammadi says that it has been "deeply enriching, despite the challenges”.
"Along with our fantastic clinical and allied health care teams, I have had the honor standardizing care for all children coming from Gaza to receive medical treatment in Doha,” he said. "Each child carries a unique story of resilience and courage; we have learned important life lessons and have been amazed by their ability to smile despite pain and suffering.
"The eyes of these children reflect a strong will and passion for life. The emotions and smiles shared between these children and caregivers remind us that psychological support is just as important as medical treatment.
"This experience has greatly enhanced the feelings of empathy and compassion within our team. The complex needs of patients, both medical and psychological, have required us to transcend traditional medical care protocols, fostering a culture of comprehensive healthcare that prioritizes the patient first”.
And Dr Al-Hammadi also emphasized that Qatar’s treatment of Palestinian patients has been a true nationwide effort, saying: "I would also like to express my gratitude for the remarkable national collaboration that has been essential in managing the care of Gaza’s patients. Led by the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the collaboration among healthcare institutions and medical teams across the country has been exemplary.
"I am grateful for the opportunity to serve these patients and for the profound lessons I have learned, as their courage, resilience, and hope have inspired us, reminding us of the significant impact that compassionate care can have on a person’s life.”
The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) will hold the seventh edition of its biennial summit in Doha on November 13 and 14, 2024, addressing the topic of the impact of wars and conflicts on healthcare.
To register for a session or for more information, visit: https://wish.org.qa/.