New Child Health Notebook Developed by PHCC to be Available in Hospitals soon

Doha, July 2, 2013.- The Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), in collaboration with Hamad Medical Corporation and the Supreme Council of Health, will soon make the Child Health Notebook available at all Qatar Government Hospitals. This initiative is one of the goals featured in the National Primary Health Care Strategy 2008-2013. This booklet will compile relevant information regarding the childs health in a way accessible to the family. A total of 30,000 copies will be distributed in all public birth hospitals, including Womens Hospital, Al Wakra hospital, Al Khor hospital, and Al- Dukhan hospital. The notebook will be given to all children born in these hospitals. In case the mother loses it, it will be replaced by a vaccination green card from Musmeer Health Centre and a hearing and vision screen card from the corresponding health centre. The mother must hold on to the book and take it to all well baby clinic appointments until the child is six years old. The Child Health Notebook contains the childs basic data, as well as family history, vaccination, results of hearing and vision examination, among other details that will be introduced by the staff at the maternity hospital. Since it contains all detailed information about the childs health, the mother can take it with her whenever she visits any other health facility in Qatar (pediatric emergencies, private clinics and hospitals and pediatric clinic at HMC) or abroad, in order to share essential information with medical staff, as it will contribute in providing better care. Furthermore, the mother should take the booklet to the consecutive seven visits to the well-baby clinic when the infant is two, four, six, 12, 15 and 18 months and four to six years. During these consults, the medical staff will take note of the babys growth, temperature, vaccinations, development, nutrition, vision, hearing and physical condition. Dr. Sadriya Al-Kohji, Head of Child Health, explained that Hamad Hospitals Pediatric Department participated with PHCC staff in designing this notebook with the objective to gather all essential data about the childs health and all important information relevant for the well-baby clinic. "At each well-baby clinic new information will be added to the book and, if there are any irregularities, they will be noted in the remarks section," added the Head of Child Health. The notebook was designed by different committees with members including PHCC physicians, staff from main office and also HMC pediatricians in order to review the scientific material. The Head of New Born Screening Unit at Womens Hospital, Dr. Gassan Abdo, established relevant guidelines regarding the notebook available initially in birth hospitals- and trained the staff on implementing these procedures, while PHCC trained staff from all health centers. The PHCC recognizes the importance of ensuring good health of mothers and babies in order to give those born here the best start in life. The number of births in Qatar is projected to grow to 27,476 by 2025, so such a tool is important to keep health records for newborn and children born in Qatar.(QNA)