Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Hamad Trauma Center in Qatar has been designated as a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center on Trauma, marking a significant milestone in the country’s healthcare achievements. This prestigious recognition makes the Trauma Center the third WHO Collaborating Center at HMC, alongside the WHO Collaborating Center for Treating Tobacco Dependence (HMC’s Tobacco Control Center) and the WHO Collaborating Center for Healthy Ageing and Dementia (HMC’s Department of Geriatrics and Long-Term Care).
Established in 2007 as a Level 1 Trauma Center at Hamad General Hospital, based on the American College of Surgeons’ Committee on Trauma classification, the Hamad Trauma Center has grown into a cornerstone of Qatar’s national Trauma System. Since 2014, it has held Trauma Distinction accreditation from Accreditation Canada International, the global accrediting body for trauma systems.
HE Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Managing Director of HMC, commented on the achievement: “The designation of the Hamad Trauma Center as a WHO Collaborating Center on Trauma reflects HMC’s excellence in trauma care. This recognition highlights our commitment to advancing trauma research, education, and clinical excellence, not only in Qatar but across the region and beyond. Through this collaboration, we aim to drive innovation, improve patient outcomes, and contribute to the global advancement of trauma care.”
As a WHO Collaborating Center on Trauma, HMC will focus on:
- Supporting WHO in evaluating, upgrading, and strengthening trauma referral pathways.
- Assisting WHO in developing and disseminating training, educational tools, and standards for trauma management.
- Contributing to WHO’s efforts to establish a global community of practice on trauma care.
Dr. Hassan Al Thani, Head of Trauma and Vascular Services at HMC, emphasized the importance of this designation: “This milestone achievement will enhance trauma system leadership in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMRO) and foster an educational environment for healthcare professionals. It will also serve as a hub for multi-institutional and transnational collaboration in areas such as trauma systems credentialing, quality improvement, patient safety, injury surveillance, clinical research, and trauma care training, both within the EMRO Region and globally.”
WHO Collaborating Centers are institutions designated by the WHO Director-General to support its programs. Currently, there are over 800 WHO Collaborating Centers across 80 Member States, working on diverse areas such as nursing, occupational health, communicable diseases, nutrition, mental health, chronic diseases, and health technologies.
(Source: The Peninsula)
