As part of its #FestivalCares initiative, Doha Festival City hosted a two-day informative campaign on the support available to families in Qatar

Doha, Qatar – 13, June 2022: Doha Festival City, Qatar's one and only international choice for shopping, dining, and entertainment, hosted a two-day awareness campaign on the disease, Multiple Sclerosis in partnership with Hamad Medical Corporation’s Neurology Department and Patient Family Education as well as with the Hamad Outpatient Neurology Clinic. 

In line with World Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Day and its ongoing #FestivalCares programme, the Mall hosted a two-day campaign in collaboration with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), through setting up a booth to share information about the disease and to provide more information about the support available for individuals and families dealing with it in Qatar.

Robert Hall, Doha Festival City’s General Manager, said: “At Doha Festival City, we genuinely care about the health and wellness of our visitors, and we equally care about the community at large. Giving back to the community is at the heart of our mission and our #FestivalCares programme. We are proud of our ongoing partnership with Hamad Medical Corporation, and we are happy to support their awareness campaigns through an array of initiatives at the mall.”

On this collaboration, Prof Dr Dirk Deleu, Senior Consultant and Director of the MS Program at Hamad General Hospital said, “The theme for World MS Day from 2020 to 2023 is “Connections”. Through building strong community connections, we can raise awareness on the disease, its symptoms, and treatment options. We also would like to highlight the importance of early detection and treatment to prevent recurrent attacks and severe nerve damage. We strongly value our collaboration with Doha Festival City on this awareness campaign and appreciate the opportunity to use this platform for community health awareness.”  

Multiple Sclerosis is an auto-immune inflammatory condition caused by damage to myelin – a fatty material that insulates nerves. The damage exposes nerve fibers and affects the way nerves conduct electrical impulses to and from the brain, thereby disrupting the communication between the brain and the rest of the body. Eventually the disease can result in nerve deterioration or permanent damage. In extreme cases, people with severe MS may lose the ability to walk independently. 

In Qatar there are more than 1200 MS patients, mostly young females. MS symptoms can include blurred vision, weak limbs, tingling sensations, unsteadiness, memory problems, and fatigue. The symptoms and their intensity vary from one person to another, so treatments are tailored accordingly. 

As part of its commitment to empowering the community, the Mall continues building partnerships with various government entities and local organizations to support campaigns that promote cultural, environmental, health, and humanitarian awareness. 

Doha Festival City’s #Festival Cares programme boasts continuous activities and initiatives that aim at giving back to society as well as building and nurturing meaningful relationships with the Mall’s internal and external visitors such as retailers, shoppers, and employees, local government authorities, and communities, and form close partnership with local non-profit organizations.
In line with the preventative measures set out by the State of Qatar to limit the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), and to ensure a safe shopping environment for all, Doha Festival City commits itself to continuous necessary health and safety measures throughout the mall. This includes a thorough mall disinfection treatment on a weekly basis, robust cleaning, and sanitization operations during mall trading hours, 127 hand sanitizing stations installed in the areas that have commonly touched surfaces.