A stranger in Doha may one day save your life. At least if College of the North Atlantic-Qatar (CNA-Q) has anything to do with it.
The institute of technology hosted an event to launch a two-day assembly for paramedics, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) physicians and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) in Qatar and the GCC. The event featured a guest panel of medical experts from the UK and Qatar, including Dr Robert Campbell-Owen, Chief Executive Officer of Hamad Medical Corporation in Qatar; Dr Malcolm Russell, Chief Executive Officer of Prometheus Medical Ltd, UK and Qatar; Dr Richard Lyon, MD, award-winning lecturer, the UK; and Robin Pap, Clinical Manager, Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar.
Dr Ken MacLeod, President of CNA-Q, introduced the panel and explained the upcoming training to the large crowd in attendance.
“On behalf of our School of Health Sciences, I would like to say we are thrilled to be collaborating with industry partners Prometheus Medical and Physio Control to host this event – the first of its kind here in Qatar,” said Dr MacLeod, “and we are very pleased to welcome oil and gas, national ambulance, international ambulance and ministry representatives as well.
“Events like this demonstrate the vibrant partnerships that exist between CNA-Q, industry and the community we serve, and exemplify how Doha has become the cross-roads of the world where we can bring international experts together for such events.”
The two days of SPHERe — Specialist Pre-Hospital Emergency Resuscitation — features seminars in resuscitation and trauma care, with real-time demonstrations.
Topics presented to the audience at the launch event focused on primary care of trauma victims — whether they are suffering some physical wound or an unidentified internal distress.
Dr Campbell-Owen, said it is those first on the scene of a potentially fatal event who may make the difference between life and death. Therefore, in addition to providing high-level, progressive training to medical technicians in Qatar, there is a large mandate to educate the public about their own responsibility to respond in cases of emergency.
Help your health providers help you! In the case of emergency:
1) Dial 999
2) Know where you are so you can relay the information to your emergency dispatcher
3) Answer all questions asked of you by your medical responder
4) Follow all instructions given you by your medical responder/hospital
5) While driving, ALWAYS give way to ambulances – simply pull to the side of the road.
The Peninsula
