All-woman ambulance service coming soon in Qatar
An all-woman ambulance service could soon be a reality in Qatar where there are frequent requests for it.
A trainer in Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Ambulance Department says several women are being trained for the service.
Ahmed Nafith Ashobassi, however, gave no time frame for the introduction of the service, in an interview published by Al Watan.
There are four ambulances with female staff at mid-Doha ‘standby’ station center.
Ashobassi said they are dispatched when requests for such ambulances come in. “This service will continue until an all-woman ambulance is introduced,” he added.
He added that a male member of a woman’s family must accompany her if she is taken for emergency care in an ambulance.
According to Ashobassi, when a request is made on 999, an ambulance is dispatched within 45 seconds and reaches the caller’s home within 10 minutes. The nearest ‘standby’ ambulance center is informed of it.
There are five ‘standby’ ambulance centers across Qatar, and each has some 10 ambulances to be pressed into service any time. This is aside from the main ambulance center.
Qatar is divided into seven zones for the service — Ambulance Hubs 1 to 7. The Industrial Area is Hub 7. Al Khor, Al Wakra, mid-Doha, West Bay, Al Dafna and Al Rayyan are the others.
There are also three helicopters in the air ambulance fleet, which are part of HMC’s Ambulance Service. [Hukoomi]
