Dubai: Expansion plans to increase the capacity of the Trauma Centre at Rashid Hospital are under way, said a senior official from the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) on Thursday.
During a visit to the Trauma and Emergency Centre (RHTC) on the first day of Eid Al Fitr, Engineer Eisa Al Maidour, director-general of DHA spoke of much-needed expansion plans yesterday.
The expansion is in line with the master plan, part of the Health Strategy 2013-2015 laid out by the DHA. The strategy has short-term, medium and long-term goals to manage current and future health-care demands from nationals and residents as well as medical tourists.
According to the DHA, the Centre is one of the most reputable emergency medical centres in the Gulf region. It handles trauma and poly trauma cases of patients in road accidents, fall and injuries, among others. The centre also works with the UAE disaster management committee.
The expansion, which will be carried out over the next two years, will add 160 beds and 116 treatment rooms. It will be implemented along the concept of pre-engineered buildings, which means that walls will be manufactured in advance and installed directly onsite.
In the meantime, the trauma centre will continue to function as usual.
During the visit, Al Maidour wished patients and commended the on-duty staff given that the Centre continues to be operational round the clock.
In an exclusive statement for Gulf News, he said, “We would like to thank all the medical staff across the DHA and particularly in the emergency centres as they work round-the-clock to ensure safety of patients. The DHA is very keen about the expansion of the emergency care in the emirate.”
He explained that the expansion will add two floors to the existing structure. “By using the pre-engineering concept, we will ensure that the trauma centre continues to work as normal while we carry out the expansion,” he said.
He added, “We are also looking at expanding emergency care across the other areas of the Emirate. While the Jabel Ali Hospital will have trauma care, in the short term we are evaluating the best methods to further enhance emergency care.”
In an earlier interview with Gulf News, Al Maidour said that the authority is in the process of identifying gaps in services, building capacity and increasing investors.
“We expect a steady increase in health care requirements. Within the DHA network of health centres and hospitals, we have increased capacity by about 12 per cent. We are looking into different parameters to ensure sustainable growth,” he said.
During his visit to the Centre, he extended his greetings to other services that facilitate emergency care, which include Dubai Police and Ambulance services.
The patients he visited expressed their gratitude at being wished during the festive occasion. The interaction paved the way for feedback of services provided and suggestions for improving those services.
He also looked into workflow issues to ensure the highest quality of emergency care.
