Care in the community

Providing reassurance, creating awareness: Babar Ali
Mirza fields questions about bird flu.

The heat of summer hit Doha in a wave late April, and as the temperature soared, over 30 WCMC-Q students and three faculty members gave of their time one weekend to join a medical camp providing health education and care for low-income workers.

The one-day camp was organized by the Indian Medical Association Qatar Chapter (IMA) and the Indian Islamic Association Qatar (IIA). According to media reports, over 4,000 people - mostly from India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka - flocked to the event, held at a preparatory school in central Doha.

The focus at this seventh camp was on assisting workers with an income of less than QR1,500 (about $400) a month, who were pre-selected for diabetes and hypertension. Blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels were assessed on the spot, with physicians available to give counselling and to refer those in need of follow-up. Medication was also available from a temporary pharmacy.

"I'm seeing men from 36 to over 60 years of age, and they've all had diabetes except for one; many of them also have hypertension," said Dr. Marcellina Mian, WCMC-Q professor of pediatrics, during a break from seeing patients in a classroom partitioned into cubicles for the day. "The ones that have the condition under good control only need a little counselling, but I have also referred some for more complete evaluations."

Second year pre-med Utsav Nandi assisted Dr. Mian by checking blood pressure and pulse, and acting as interpreter for the many patients who spoke only Hindi, or Malayalam and a little Hindi.

"I've been to Hamad Hospital for observerships, but actually taking the pulse - something so simple - seems wonderful. This is one of the reasons why we entered the profession," Nandi said.

Interaction with visitors was "really helpful" said
Kholoud Saleh (right), seen with Aljazy Al Maraghi,
giving advice to a family visiting the WCMC-Q
information booth.

Scores of volunteers offered a full program of lectures and health education in support of the clinical care - all part of the public service that is "an integral part" of the IIA's activities, said senior official Mr. Abdulrahim.

Organizations taking part included the National Health Authority, Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar Diabetes Association, private clinics and schools.

The health education tent saw many families, as well as single-status workmen, crowding around stalls where advice on topics from healthy eating to combating the spread of infectious diseases was dispensed by enthusiastic young people.

Babar Ali Mirza, a second year pre-med, said the WCMC-Q volunteers were focusing on nutrition advice and avian influenza.

"Health and nutrition is pertinent to everybody," he explained, "and we picked bird flu because it is a dangerous disease that could develop into a pandemic - it's important to educate people about that.

"We realize that most people here want to know if eating chicken will infect them with the virus. We tell them that if they cook the chicken well, there is no chance of catching the disease."

Foundation student Kholoud Saleh noted there was a need to educate families about the link between diet and chronic diseases such as diabetes, and said the event was a rewarding experience: "It's really helpful to me, for the future when I become a doctor. Seeing how to interact with people is very interesting."

Photograph courtesy of Nadia Ismail

Report by Sylvia M. Ismail