HMC urges caution as dust storm triggers spike in respiratory cases

Published: 16 April 2025

Patients who exhibit symptoms of severe shortness of breath in
such an atmosphere asked to directly call the ambulance service

Qatar News Agency
Doha

Assistant Executive Director of Hamad Medical Corpora­tion’s Ambulance Service, Ali Darwish, urged all community members to adhere to preventive measures amid the ongoing dust storm affecting the country, stressing that individu­als are advised to avoid open ar­eas and, to the extent possible, remain indoors or in enclosed spaces.

Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Darwish high­lighted that the current storm has health consequences for hu­mans, especially the respiratory system, and those most likely to be affected include individuals with asthma, respiratory condi­tions, chronic chest illnesses, the elderly, and children.

Accordingly, he said height­ened caution is advised, and proactive steps should be taken to mitigate the potential health impact of dust exposure, call­ing on patients who exhibit symptoms of severe shortness of breath in such an atmosphere to directly call the ambulance service, whose personnel are on full alert to respond to life-threatening cases.

Meanwhile, individuals who suffer from mild symptoms as­sociated with exposure to dust may either head to the nearest health center, hospital, or emer­gency department, Darwish highlighted.

He noted that since this morning, the ambulance ser­vice reported a slight increase in service requests recorded until approximately 1:00 p.m., with 900 calls received during this period compared to 800 calls typically recorded during the same timeframe on regular days.

The increase, he said, was primarily attributed to minor-to-moderate traffic accidents and a majority of moderate medical cases, including respi­ratory distress incidents among children and the elderly, par­ticularly those with underlying chronic chest conditions.

Darwish pointed out that the key challenge faced by the am­bulance service Tuesday was the low visibility in open areas and outdoor spaces, posing a slight hurdle to the swiftness of response to requests.

He indicated that the ambu­lance service operates in per­sistent and full coordination under the umbrella of the Na­tional Command Center (NCC), through which all climate up­dates in Qatar are reviewed.

He stressed the importance of dealing cautiously with dust by wearing masks while outdoors, promptly washing hands upon returning home, and avoiding beaches, desert areas, and open outdoor environments as far as possible.