child immunisations
hi all.
I am planning on coming to doha with my 3 week old baby who has only got her BCG vaccination. I am wondering if its advisble to come and get the rest of her immunisations there in doha, or is it better for me to get them done here before travelling there to doha? has any one had their child vaccinated here in doha?
thanks in advance
xoxo
Omlayla, health insurance covers the cost of private hospitals in Doha, not Hamad or its centers. These are free.
____________________________________________________
"Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock - Will Rogers"
We once went to have vaccination in American hospital.We didn't have insurance and wanted to make it quickly.Paid almost QR 1000.Then we got insurance and registered to the health center.I liked it very much(once I went to Rayyan Health Center-disaster)and now our baby gets vaccination there.
For those who intend on getting the MMR done separately, you might want to check whether it is available. The US manufacturer no longer separates and the measles component is not available anymore.
http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/publications/news/news-now/clinical-care-research/20081224merckcombo.html
I'm looking at getting the MMR done seperately as well. Are you in Qatar? Where are you going for the jabs as our doctor knows only of the MMR all in one?
Armoud, that is what I understand the risks to be also, and so I have opted to do it via injection, even a small risk is really not worth it, bit like the triple MMR we have in the UK, I will be doing those separately, I guess its just down to choice.
Thats true Frozen, but the wait in the health centers for vaccinations is a pain (far longer than private clinics).
____________________________________________________
"Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock - Will Rogers"
I guess all the vacinations are free from health centres you just need to get your kids registered in nearest health clinic via national health authority.
-----------------------------------------------------
When the eye becomes the heart, the heart becomes the eye ... Wasif Ali Wasif
My youngest has had many vaccinations here. This was before Al ahli Hospital was built. He had them done at the Family medical Center next to Doha Clinic. The lady doctor there was very nice and very knowledgeable. She even ordered vaccines from the Us like the chickenpox vaccine that would not normally be given here. I have no complaints. Oh--and absolutely no waiting there (unlike Al Ahli or Doha Clinic)
The oral vaccine actually provides better immunity against the virus as it delivers intestinal immunity. It is the method of choice here as there are so many people travelling to and from countries where the disease is still imminent. We get it as an injection back home as the risk of Polio being contracted is much lower. Oral used to be recommended method as it is also well tolerated and treated many forms of infection but it has a small risk of paralysis.
_____________________________________________________
"Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock - Will Rogers"
One thing to add is that they only deliver the polio vaccine orally here but they will give it via injection at the al alhi if you bring it in with you.
thanks guys for your replies.
we have medical insurance through my husbands employer my kids and i are also covered. even if i didnt id rather pay no matter how much it is, u cant compromise with some things. with my first born we have always been going to doha clinic and theres one egyptian paediatrician there whose real nice.
Id would rather get it done here but my RP expires on 30th may, and its such a hassle to get it redone!
have it done before you travel
I went to 3 places... Hamad, Doha Clinic and Al Ahli... We didn't have insurance for a while, and we also wanted to try different places to find the best one.
If you don't have insurance, I'd recommend the local clinic of Hamad. The vaccines are free there for babies under 1. They only do vaccines a couple of times a week, so make sure you stop by first to check the hours (you'll need a medical # first, so bring the baby's RP, birth certificate, etc). You won't find many westerners there (or perhaps that's just my local branch) but they speak english well enough and it's free!
If you do have insurance, I like Doha Clinic. Staff is helpful and friendly (except Dr Khalid, he's a bit harsh- yelled at my mom once for trying to come to the appointment with me) and there isn't much of a wait. I used to go to Al Ahli but recently their waits have become hours long (with appointments!) and since they have a "great" kids play area, my kids were always coming home with some nasty sickness when we went there for vaccines. But the private hospitals are expensive if you don't have insurance to cover the vaccines.
No need to worry, you have lots of choices here. Ask 10 people and you'll get 10 different opinions about the doctors and hospitals. Just look around for one you are comfortable with, and needing to do the vaccines is a good excuse to check out Doctors for the time when you need one for your sick baby.
No need for any of that Malcod, they will not ask you for vaccination records coming into Qatar. They only ask for them for schools.
The 2 month vaccination will cost you from QR 900 - QR 1400 depending on the hospital. _____________________________________________________
"Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock - Will Rogers"
thanks for your replies. errm, well im not working, im just coming to stay with my husband. i already have my visa and all, its juts more like a return trip, i just came here to the Uk to give birth.
USA expat where did u get ur kids vaccinations done?
One thing you will learn is that laws/rules are arbitrarily applied here. What is true for one person is not for the other...
They did with us. May have been my partners sponsor but I had to show all vaccination certificates.
My thoughts are my own, but I doubt my Mum would agree with some of them.
If you go to Hamad Hospital vaccines for kids under 1 are free. You can go to the private hospitals but they are much more expensive unless you have insurance that cover them. Both my kids were completely vaccinated in Doha (born here, now 1 and 3). The only concern might be transferring the records to your home country when you return. Each country has different vaccine schedules. But, if you are here for a while you might as well do the Doha schedule and finish it all here. For example, in the US they don't do BCGs, but since I figured my kids would be here the first few years of their lives so it was probably a good idea to do it.
I'm pretty sure you don't need all the vaccines before arriving in Doha. Check with your employer, but I can't imagine they will turn away your 3 month old w/o vaccines since I know they don't check vaccines for adults at all!
I would get all the vaccinations done before you come. There are lots of good hospitals here, so it is not a problem. However, I think you need proof of vaccination in small kids before you entry the country.
I may be wrong.
My thoughts are my own, but I doubt my Mum would agree with some of them.