Sidra Medicine has announced several new services including the upcoming launch of two new health programmes for girls and women in the country.
The new 'Executive Women’s Health' programme will be ready in the third quarter of 2022, while Well Woman Health Center is expected to be operational by end of the year.
The new programmes and services will offer girls and women in Qatar more choices when it comes to their health and wellness, said Dr. Johnny Awwad, Chair of Women’s Services at Sidra Medicine, addressing a press conference yesterday. The announcement came on the eve of International Women’s Day, and in line with Sidra Medicine’s strategic approach for women’s services in 2022 to position new programmes.
“This year, we are taking an integrated and holistic approach to female health and wellness as we expand our services for girls and women in Qatar,” said Dr. Awwad.
“With our latest offering, we want the female population to be aware that they have more choices when it comes to healthcare especially in areas such as comprehensive health checks, menopause, fertility, gynaecology and maternity care.” The Executive Women’s Health programme offers an annual comprehensive health and wellbeing review for women aged 18 and older. They will receive a detailed assessment with evidence-based advice and personalised care plans.
“In addition, referrals will be made to multi-specialist adult services such as endocrinology, rheumatology, dermatology, cardiology, pulmonary, internal medicine and mental health. In the future, the programme will also expand into personalised treatment options for patients to visit a wellness centre for relaxation and treatment, as well as aesthetic care,” said Dr. Awwad.
The Well Woman Health Center will be dedicated to the management of midlife women and beyond by providing a comprehensive and holistic approach to menopause.
“Women will be supported with advice and consultations related to risk factors such as osteoporosis, heart disease; breast and lung cancer screening and hormone replacement therapy,” said Dr. Awwad. Dr. Awwad, who is also the Chief of Reproductive Medicine at Sidra Medicine, announced the launch of a Fertility Preservation service in the coming months.
“Our fertility preservation service will help preserve the reproductive potential of patients whose fertility potential is affected by cancer therapy and severe medical conditions. The programme is designed to offer a holistic approach for men and women who desire to safeguard their reproductive potential against the effects of ablative therapies."
Dr. Awwad added, “It includes access to multidisciplinary team counselling; reproductive technologies: freezing of oocyte, sperm, embryos; ovarian suppression and fertility-sparing surgical treatment as well as psychological and social support.”
The new maternity ward at Sidra Medicine features luxury suites with patient bedrooms with ensuite heated bathrooms, a lounge area with a pantry and guest bathrooms. The baby nursery includes private camera viewable for the parents. The service also includes optional rental of pantry and catering services to cater for guests.
“Maternity care at Sidra Medicine is provided with a central focus on safety and choice to ensure that our female patients are looked after throughout the pregnancy and birth journey. As such, we are very excited to announce the launch of our brand new luxury maternity ward in the main hospital,” said Dr. Gbemisola (Shola) Okunoye, Division Chief of Obstetrics at Sidra Medicine.
“It is unlike any other maternity ward in the country as it features six luxury suites fully customised with amenities and services to enhance the comfort and care of the mothers. We also remain one of the few hospitals in the country that support fathers or a family member to be present in the birthing room,” he added.
Sidra Medicine is also offering a special service to support women who have a background in medical challenges related to pregnancy, also known as high risk maternal medicine.
Sidra Medicine currently offers a cervical cancer screening programme for women. The hospital works closely with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) as part of a national ‘screen-and-treat’ programme where following the screening at Sidra Medicine, patients are immediately referred for treatment. The hospital has also started to offer human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines for girls aged 12 and above.
“In Qatar, the management of women suffering from uterine fibroids is still cause for concern, as women are often unaware of alternative therapies available at our hospital.
“We have therapies and options that are less invasive; this is particularly in the case of uterine preservation. Many women still travel abroad either for a second opinion or to undergo minimally invasive surgeries. In addition, misconceptions about pap smears and HPV vaccines need to be addressed. We cannot stress enough the importance of routine cervical screening and that taking the HPV vaccine have proven to be very effective for preventing cervical cancer and deaths from the disease,” said Dr. Rudaina Hassan, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist.
