By Fazeena Saleem
DOHA: The Prime Minister and Interior Minister
H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani yesterday inaugurated the Leabaib Health Centre near Khartiyat on Shamal road.
It is also among the newly introduced wellness centres in the country, considered the first of its kind in the Arab region. Besides providing medical services, a wellness centre contributes to people’s mental and physical health through diverse facilities and programmes.
The centre features special facilities such as a gym, swimming pool and sauna. Mental health, ophthalmology and dermatology services are introduced at the Leabaib Health Centre, besides the regular clinics, laboratory, pharmacy and radiology units. Also a Medical Commission unit offering mandatory health check up for expatriates will operate at the health centre.
The Prime Minister, Minister of Public Health H E Abdullah bin Khalid Al Qahtani, Dr Mariam Abdul Malik, Managing Director of the Primary Healthcare Corporation (PHCC), Nasser bin Ali Al Mawlawi, President of Ashghal, and other officials toured the various sections at the health centre.
Al Qahtani said in statement that Qatar considers spending on health sector as a priority and the country has a clear long-term strategy in this regard.
“A master plan was developed in this framework in line with the needs of the country in the field of health, associated with deadlines and approved financial allocations,” said the minister.
“Leabaib Health Center is an added value to the health services of the country, especially in primary health care,” he added.
The minister also stressed the importance of investing in primary health care “as it’s the first line of defense both in terms of prevention and early treatment.”
“The model of health and wellness centers will prove success through the opening of Leabaib Health Center, which is the first of its kind in the Arab region in terms of health and preventive services, along with other facilities related to awareness, health education and physical activity,” he said.
Two more similar centres will open in the near future in Umm Salal and Rawdat Al Khail, in addition to nine regular primary health centres.
The Leabaib Health Centre is equipped with modern facilities as one of the centers of excellence that also provides routine health services in addition to preventive health services, said Dr Abdul Malik.
She said that the centre will register 50,000 people over the next two years, which will help ease the pressure on other health centers. Some 3000 people have already been registered of the 10,000, the target number for the first year.
The Peninsula
