International

SickKids to help create new pediatric centre in Qatar

TORONTO - The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) has partnered with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) in Qatar to advise on the creation of a brand new, state-of-the-art children’s hospital in the Middle East.

On February 7th, senior leaders from SickKids marked the official announcement of the five-year partnership. SickKids has been enlisted to provide advisory services for the development and operation of the new 217-bed, 45,000 square foot children’s hospital located in Hamad Medical City, a large, not-for-profit healthcare complex in the heart of Doha, Qatar’s capital city.

“This partnership is yet another example of SickKids’ international reputation for excellence in children’s health, and moves us one step closer to realizing our vision of Healthier Children. A Better World,” said Mary Jo Haddad (pictured), President and CEO of SickKids.

While in Doha, SickKids staff will provide expert counsel in such areas as paediatric medicine, surgical services, interprofessional practice and education, family-centred care and research. The partnership will also see staff from HMC travel to Toronto to take advantage of fellowship and learning opportunities at SickKids.

“A key component of our international strategy is to share our knowledge and to help other organizations build capacity within their own countries,” added Cathy Seguin, Vice President of International Affairs at SickKids.

As of result of its world-class reputation for excellence in paediatric medicine, SickKids won the contract to partner with HMC over other leading healthcare organizations in the United States, Europe and Australia.

“Through this partnership, we will be working very closely with SickKids to develop our New Children’s Hospital. It will open in 2012 in Hamad Medical City and is designed according to international best practice standards in paediatric care. This is a very important project and partnership for us, and will have a tremendous impact on healthcare in Qatar,” said Dr. Al Kuwari, Managing Director at Hamad Medical Corporation. “The New Children’s Hospital will be the first full hospital in Qatar specializing in paediatric care, and we are proud to be working with a leading international centre of excellence in this endeavour.”

SickKids has also partnered with Bloorview Kids Rehab, who will share their expertise in rehabilitation and complex continuing care. As Canada’s largest paediatric rehabilitation hospital, Bloorview’s involvement in the project will be focused on developing services for children who are chronically ventilated and to build rehab capacity as an important element of the continuum of care for children with congenital or acquired disability.

The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) is recognized as one of the world’s foremost paediatric healthcare institutions and is Canada’s leading centre dedicated to advancing children’s health through the integration of patient care, research and education. Founded in 1875 and affiliated with the University of Toronto, SickKids is one of Canada’s most research-intensive hospitals and has generated discoveries that have helped children globally.

Its mission is to provide the best in complex and specialized family-centred care; pioneer scientific and clinical advancements; share expertise; foster an academic environment that nurtures healthcare professionals; and champion an accessible, comprehensive and sustainable child health system. SickKids is proud of its vision of Healthier Children. A Better World. For more information, please visit www.sickkids.ca.

Hamad Medical Corporation is the premier non-profit healthcare provider in Doha, Qatar. It was established by Emiri decree in 1979 and manages five highly specialized hospitals, namely, Hamad General Hospital, Rumailah Hospital, Women’s Hospital, Al Amal Hospital and Al Khor Hospital. Since its establishment, HMC has rapidly developed medical facilities capable of providing state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment of diseases that previously could only be managed in overseas medical centers.

HMC prides itself in providing quality and cost efficient health care for all patients regardless of nationality, in line with the State of Qatar’s pledge of “Health for All”. For this purpose, the Corporation implements a policy of continuous improvement of all management systems and patient care protocols. HMC’s ethos is based on three key pillars, which are Health, Education and Research.

Published February 11,2010