DOHA: Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) has added pre-marital screening to the list of services offered at its health centres.
The new service is in line with an Emiri Decree in 2009, which requires all Qatari couples who intend to get married to go through a check-up. The requirement was extended to all residents through an Emiri Decree in April 2012. Residents must undergo screening in the private sector.
Dr Amal Al Ali, Family Medicine Specialist, West Bay Health Center, said the service aims to detect possible sexually- transmitted diseases such as hepatitis, HIV and Aids, sickle cell anaemia, thalassemia and other genetic diseases. “We would also like to raise awareness about ways of preventing and avoiding these diseases to protect the future generations”.
The system has been implemented at five health centres — Airport, Al Khor, Al Gharafa, West Bay and Al Rayyan.
The service is confidential and information obtained by centres will never be shared with any third party.
To undergo screening, couples should follow the next steps:
To avoid waiting for long hours, it is recommended to make an appointment either in person, at any of our centres, or by phone. Both parties must attend the appointment. Upon arrival, the couple should report to the reception desk in the health centre, where the receptionist will complete a patient personal information form. Then, the nurse will collect their biometric data and forward them to the doctor, who will provide advice and request the tests that need to be performed. A blood sample will be collected, as it is required by the laboratory.
The results will be ready within a week. If the results are positive, medical examination certificates will be issued for both parties.
If any disease is detected, the parties will be referred to Hamad Medical Corporation for counselling and treatment.
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