16 May 2021 - 11:29 The Peninsula Doha: Minister of Public Health HE Dr Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari visited Hamad General Hospital’s Surgical Specialty Center (SSC) as the facility discharged its last COVID-19 patients and prepared to return to normal operations. The SSC is one of seven HMC facilities that has been designated as a COVID-19 facility throughout the second wave of the virus, alongside Hazm Mebaireek General Hospital, Communicable Disease Center, The Cuban Hospital, Ras Laffan Hospital, Mesaieed Hospital and Al Wakra Hospital. Commenting on the important role the SSC has played in recent months, H.E. Dr. Al Kuwari said: “The designation of the Surgical Specialty Center as a COVID-19 facility has been an important element of our strategy that has enabled us to significantly expand hospital capacity throughout this second wave. With the new variants from the UK and South Africa causing more severe symptoms than the original strain last year, at the peak of the second wave more people required hospital admission than during the first wave. Despite this increased demand for hospital care, I am incredibly proud of the efforts of all our healthcare staff for their hard work and commitment which has meant that every patient requiring treatment for COVID-19 has been able to access the care they require without delay.”