The Ministry of Public Health

In 2016 the Amir, HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani disbanded the Supreme Council of Health and reverted their responsibilities to the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH, moph.gov.qa).

The MoPH will continue to oversee the nation’s health services, with policies, goals and objectives to achieve that vision, and monitoring and evaluation of its progress and the quality and effectiveness of health service providers. The ‘Caring for the Future’ programme encourages healthy lifestyles, provides community-based primary care, and ensures that the world’s most advanced, highest quality care is available locally in secondary and tertiary medical facilities.

One of the pillars of Qatar National Vision 2030, 'Human Development', represents Qatar's ambition to develop a physically and mentally healthy population. The first phase was the National Development Strategy (NDS) 2011–2016, and the National Health Strategy (NHS) 2011–2016. These developments were built on under NDS 2017–2022 and NHS 2018–2022.

Supporting strategies and frameworks include:

Services (Industrial Area), Al Ahli Hospital, Al Emadi Hospital and Doha Clinic Hospital.

The main MC unit has four sections: one for expatriates taking up jobs in senior positions; one for families; one for domestic workers; and one for labourers. There is an electronic registration service for companies and corporations with over 15 employees; they must register their workers’ data online for tests and make electronic payments through Hukoomi at gov.qa

For more information about medical procedures, see Day to Day Qatar in this section.

• Health Protection and Communicable Disease Control: Monitors and controls communicable diseases, oversees the national vaccination programme.

• Health Promotion: Develops and implements policies and action plans, such as occupational health, tobacco law and mental health.

• Health Information Center: Collects health data and information, conducts statistical surveys, liaises with international health institutions, and oversees birth and death registrations.

• Qatar Public Health Strategy

• National Diabetes Strategy

• National Primary Healthcare Strategy

• Qatar National Dementia Plan

• National

E-Health and Data Management Strategy

• Food Safety: Implements health policies in all food safety-related matters, as per Law No 8 of 1990 regarding regulating human food control.

• Continuing Care Design Strategy

• Qatar Healthcare Facilities Master Plan

• Summary

National Mental Health & Wellbeing Strategic Framework 2019–2022

• National Cancer Framework 2017–2022.

The MoPH was awarded the national accreditation status of the US Public Health Accreditation Board in October 2022, the first country outside the US to receive the certification.

Departments and Services

• Medical Commission: Examines all travellers to the country and residents; issues medical certificates to: º Prospective and current employees. º Non-Qataris arriving to work, reside or visit family in the country, or to change sponsorship. º Applicants for Qatari citizenship. º Non-Qatari men who wish to marry Qatari women. º Students for university enrolment. º Citizens travelling overseas. º Applicants for special categories (eg pilgrimage contractors, citizens marrying outside Qatar).

Most medical check-ups are conducted at the Medical Commission (MC) near Abu Hamour, although the service is also available at Qatar Red Crescent (Mesaimeer), Mowasalat Medical

• Health Emergency: Responsible for plans and projects related to health emergency preparedness and response, in cooperation with partners in the health sector such as Hamad Medical Corporation, Primary Health Care Corporation, and the private sector.

• Health Financing and Insurance: Develops health financing and insurance systems that support the wider goals of the healthcare landscape and the National Health Strategy.

• Healthcare Professions: Draws up the specifications and conditions of accrediting hospitals, health centres and clinics, and training and rehabilitation centres for health practitioners. Issues licences for practicing health and medical professions and revokes where necessary.

• Health Facilities Licensing and Accreditation: Oversees the licensing and accreditation standards for health facilities, and conducts inspections.

• Pharmacy and Drug Control: Responsible for regulating the dispensing, import, and circulation of medicines, the registration of pharmaceutical companies, and supervising drug prices.

E-services available at moph.gov.qa include:

• birth and death certificates • medical commission requests • finding a health practitioner or pharmacy • clinical guidelines