Qatar - The health system in Qatar has demonstrated a high ability to respond rapidly and effectively to the successive waves of the pandemic that the whole world has witnessed since the beginning of 2020 due to the spread of Covid-19.

The response of the health sector in Qatar to the Covid-19 pandemic was not random, but rather it was the result of a complete scientific strategy and pre-established plans to deal with any pandemics.

HE the Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari stressed on more than one occasion the commitment to the “Health For All” vision, as the health sector has made great progress in recent years to protect and support the health and well-being of Qatar’s population thanks to the wise leadership’s unlimited support for the health sector.

Regarding the importance of protecting the population of Qatar, she also stressed the importance of ensuring that people live in an environment conducive to good health with the necessary knowledge and tools to support health.

Thanks to its successful proactive strategy, Qatar managed to address the Covid-19 pandemic and overcome three waves of the pandemic, through a methodology based on a scientific and co-operative approach among all government agencies, local and international partnerships, and community participation.

Al-Kuwari underlined in a statement last year that the health system in Qatar is always ready for any circumstances, due to its experience, commitment and solidarity of the healthcare system in the country to achieve the desired goals.

The health system in Qatar works within the framework of its response to any pandemic or abnormal health situation in a proactive, preparatory and scientific manner to address any exceptional circumstances through a robust system in which all the country’s agencies and parties participate.

The proactive steps taken by Qatar to confront waves of pandemics in general are evident in the establishment of a robust and developed health system and solid health infrastructure, including a wide range of hospitals, health centres and specialised research institutes.

The number of hospitals in the public sector in Qatar increased to 16 in 2022, compared to six hospitals in 2011, when the first National Health Strategy was launched. Last year, several new facilities were opened and established at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), including Al Maha Pediatric Specialised Care Center, the permanent intensive care unit (ICU), the Physiotherapy-Orthopedic unit, a Smoking Cessation Clinic and the Advanced Wound Care Section. Additionally, HMC’s Trauma and Emergency Center expanded assessment area for female patients by 60%. The Pediatric Speech Therapy unit at Qatar Rehabilitation Institute (QRI) was also expanded with the addition of 12 therapy rooms.

The number of health centres, including centres affiliated with the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), and those run by the Qatar Red Crescent Society in accordance with an agreement with the Ministry of Public Health, increased to 33 centres in 2022.

Also, the private health sector witnessed a significant expansion in the number of facilities during 2022 and reached 10 hospitals, 19 day surgery centres, and 390 general and specialised health centres, including dental centres, in addition to 31 diagnostic centres, including medical laboratories, diagnostic radiology centres, and dental laboratories.

The number of health workers in the public and private sectors has also increased to 46,371 in 2023, compared to 20,682 in 2011.
In 2022, the World Health Organisation (WHO) certified all the municipalities of Qatar as “Healthy Cities”, thus becoming the first country in the Eastern Mediterranean to obtain the accreditation for all of its cities. The Healthy City programme aims to improve the health of populations by promoting health and well-being through the work of all sectors together to enhance public health measures in daily life environments.

All these advanced and modern facilities are considered the shield wall for any pandemic as the health system in Qatar can cope with any health emergency according to the type of health pandemic, as happened in the Covid-19 pandemic, when most health centres and hospitals have turned into examination, treatment and quarantine centres, while continuing to provide medical services to the people on a regular basis or through remote medical consultations.

The progress made in the health sector in Qatar has recently received global recognition, with five hospitals in Qatar ranked among the world’s top 250 academic medical centres, and two hospitals achieved top 100 rankings. This achievement affirmed the sector’s commitment to combining patient care, medical research and education to achieve the best outcomes and experiences for patients.

Qatar also ranked 15th for the countries that dealt with the Covid-19 pandemic and was the only Arab country that was included in this classification in the German Der Spiegel magazine.
This indicates that the health system in Qatar is capable of responding rapidly and effectively to emergencies and any pandemic through a response plan, communication and increasing the capacity of healthcare facilities.

Also in 2022, the WHO Country Office was opened in Qatar, in order to strengthen the Organisation’s work with health authorities in Qatar and other partners at the national level such as United Nations agencies and other relevant authorities.

In dealing with such health conditions, Qatar always seeks a scientific, evidence-based approach by making decisions according to the results of scientific studies and research, which contributes to improving its response to any pandemic.

The scientific research carried out in Qatar during the Covid-19 pandemic was published in the most important scientific journals, in addition to adopting strict travel policies that take into account the nature of the spread of infection, the ability of the health system to absorb it, as well as the strength and resilience of the health system and its ability to adapt with the plans set by the state to raise capacity and redistribute specialised cadres quickly and effectively, were all factors that helped to address the pandemic.

Qatar is also capable of implementing rapid and comprehensive vaccination campaigns to combat any viruses. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Qatar implemented the largest vaccination campaign in its history for citizens and residents for free. This was an important factor that contributed significantly to its response to the pandemic. Qatar is ranked among the top ten countries in the world with regard to vaccination coverage against Covid-19 for its population.

 

 

© Gulf Times Newspaper 2022 Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).