Smartphone service for asthma, allergies launched

Doha: The Ministry of Public Health’s Supreme Committee for Healthcare Communications has launched a new smartphone service, as part of the app ‘Qatar Health’, to provide the public with information about asthma and allergies.

The service, which was developed using the combined knowledge and expertise of the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), and the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), was developed to help people with asthma and allergies manage their condition.

Ali Al Khatir, Chairperson of Supreme Committee for Healthcare Communications and Chief Communications Officer at HMC, said that inadequately controlled asthma and allergies result in a large number of emergency department visits each year. He said the new service is not intended to replace medical advice or treatment but it does have the potential to help those living with these conditions to better manage their health.

“There is no cure for asthma and allergies. For some people, these conditions are a minor nuisance, but for others, they can be a major health problem that interferes with their daily activities and can even be life-threatening. Most patients with these conditions will need individualised, ongoing care to help them understand disease management, triggers, avoidance measures, disease monitoring, and how and when to use prescribed medications,” said Al Khater.

“However, through making information about these conditions more accessible to the public, and specifically how to limit exposure to triggers, we aim to improve the quality of life for those living with allergic diseases, asthma, and other common immunological disorders. Proactive management of these conditions can help reduce symptoms and the disruptions they can cause,” added Al Khater.

Al Khater said that while the service was designed for asthma and allergy suffers, they hope the resource will be used by the family, friends, and co-workers of individuals with these conditions.

He said increasing public awareness about these conditions, and specifically their symptoms and triggers, will help improve the health and wellbeing of those living with asthma and other common immunological disorders.

The service contains basic information about allergic diseases, asthma, and other common immunological disorders, management and treatment options, suggested prevention measures, and tips for avoiding triggers.

The app ‘Qatar Health’ was launched in May 2018, as an awareness initiative devoted for health, and the app, which is available in Arabic and English, can be downloaded by searching for ‘Qatar Health’ in the App Store and the Google Play Store. It is available for iOS and Android operating systems.

أطلقت لجنة الاتصال العليا للرعاية الصحية التابعة لوزارة الصحة العامة، خدمة جديدة لتزويد الجمهور بمعلومات عن أمراض الربو والحساسية، ضمن التطبيق الإلكتروني للهواتف الذكية «صحة قطر»، الذي تم تطويره باستخدام المعرفة والخبرات المشتركة لوزارة الصحة العامة، ومؤسسة حمد الطبية، ومؤسسة الرعاية الصحية الأولية، لمساعدة الأشخاص الذين يعانون من الربو والحساسية على إدارة حالاتهم.

وقال السيد علي عبدالله الخاطر -رئيس لجنة الاتصال العليا للرعاية الصحية، والرئيس التنفيذي للاتصال المؤسسي في مؤسسة حمد الطبية- إن حالات الربو والحساسية التي يتم التحكم فيها بطريقة غير كافية تؤدي إلى عدد كبير من زيارات قسم الطوارئ كل عام، موضحاً أن الخدمة الجديدة ليست بديلاً للمشورة الطبية أو العلاج، لكنها مهمة لمساعدة أولئك الذين يعايشون هذه الظروف لإدارة صحتهم بشكل أفضل.;