Q. I have just arrived in Qatar and need to get a health card for my child, what do I do?
A. To get a health card for your child, you must visit the Primary Health Center nearest to where you live – call 107 if you are unsure where your local center is. Refer to the ‘How to get a health card’ section in this guide for specific details about the required documents.
Q. I want my child to see a doctor at a HMC hospital, how can I get an appointment?
A. Unless your child has a medical emergency, in which case you should take them to your nearest HMC emergency department or call 999 for an ambulance, they will need a referral from a primary health center or private clinic in order to make an appointment at a HMC facility.
Q. Where can I take my children for their vaccinations?
A. You can call Primary Health Care Corporation’s customer helpline, Hayyak, on 107 to arrange an appointment for your child at the health center which they are registered at. Alternatively, you can visit your health center in person to arrange an appointment.
Q. How do I know which is the local health center for my child?
A. Your utility bill (phone, water/electricity) includes a code related to your location and this determines where you and your child’s designated health center is located. You can call Primary Health Care Corporation’s customer helpline, Hayyak, on 107 for more information or take your utility bill in person to the nearest health center.
Q. Do I have to pay for my child’s care at HMC and primary care centers?
A. These facilities do charge a small fee for services but residents with a valid health card are entitled to greatly subsidized consultations and prescriptions at Hamad Medical Corporation and Primary Health Care Corporation facilities.
Q. Why can’t I just turn up at a HMC hospital with my child and be seen by a doctor? A. HMC provides specialist secondary and tertiary care services. These services are for patients whose needs
are too complex to be treated at a primary care center. A large number of conditions can be successfully
treated in primary care and do not require treatment at HMC.
Q. Will my child be seen by the same doctor at my health center?
A. Every effort will be made to enable your child to see the same doctor at each visit, but the doctor’s
availability on the day of their appointment cannot be guaranteed.
Q. My child needs to see a dentist, should I take him/her to my health center or to a HMC hospital?
A. Unless your child’s condition is a medical emergency, in which case you should take them to your nearest
emergency department, your child should visit your local health center for a dental consultation. If specialist
dental treatment is required, your primary care doctor may refer your child to HMC.
Q. My child has a chronic illness and needs regular specialist care, where do I go to for help?
A. Your child’s first appointment should be at your local health center. Your child’s primary care doctor can
then advise on the best plan for your child’s care. HMC also operates five Pediatric Emergency Centers (PECs)
located in different areas in Qatar. These centers provide more specialist secondary care to patients less than
14 years of age. However, for more serious emergency care pediatric patients should be taken to Hamad
General Hospital Emergency Department or an ambulance should be called by dialling 999. Specialist
children’s cases are also referred to Sidra Medicine by HMC and Primary Health Care Centers.
Q. Is there public parking available when I visit a HMC clinic, primary health center or the Sidra
Medicine Children’s Emergency Department?
A. All hospitals and health centers have public parking facilities. However, some of HMC’s busy hospitals have
limited free parking and visitors are recommended to either come by taxi or public transport or they can use
the valet parking service offered in many locations.
