Medical cell spotlight

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UNIPATH STAFF

With their experience in the private sector, two Qatari Armed Forces doctors helped make the link between the civil and military worlds during Eagle Resolve.

Qatari Army Capt. Dr. Madiha K. al-Nobi and Qatari 1st Lt. Dr. Kholoud al-Subaey worked with a multinational team in the exercises command post medical cell to overcome a wide variety of simulated crises, including an outbreak of coronavirus and mass casualties from a missile attack. They also conducted a mock media briefing on how the public can protect itself from a chemical attack.

Like many on the team, the two women used their medical experience to develop an approach to each scenario by leveraging resources from the military, Hamad General Hospital and the Ministry of Health.

Al-Nobi graduated from medical school in Bahrain in 2001 and completed her residency in Doha before earning a master’s degree in health care management in Ireland. She worked at Hamad Hospital until she joined the armed forces in 2005. Now head of the military’s radiology department, she has participated in Eagle Resolve more than five times.

Al-Nobi said the exercise is important in disaster preparedness, and her department works tirelessly year-round to ensure it is ready. “Each year we update what resources we have,” she said. “We have a clear plan in our mind of what we should do in case of disaster.”

Her medical experience also helped Doha public health officials when a fire on the popular Corniche waterfront tested their mass-casualty capabilities and when they dealt with real-life coronavirus outbreaks.

Al-Subaey, who works in medical services administration, has participated in Eagle Resolve at least three times. The exercise reinforces the military’s disaster plans, she said. It also emphasizes the need to coordinate with outside agencies such as Hamad Hospital and the Red Crescent, so that connections and resources are in place when an incident occurs.

Before she joined the military six years ago, al-Subaey worked at Hamad Hospital as an ear, nose and throat specialist; she also treated psychiatric patients.
Eagle Resolve is important, she said, because it allows the countries and agencies to share information and practice coordination. “Maybe they have something we don’t know. We all have different experience.”