An Overview of the Healthcare System in Qatar
Qatar’s Supreme Council of Health (SCH) was established by Emiri decree in 2005. It replaced the former Health National Health Authority and Ministry of Public Health. The main goal for establishing the SCH is to provide a quality of healthcare which matches the best in the world. The SCH’s responsibilities include:
- creating a clear vision for the healthcare policies in Qatar;
- setting goals and objectives for the country's health services;
- designing the plans and policies to achieve these goals and objectives;
- regulating the healthcare sector;
- protecting the public health;
- setting a health research program; and
- monitoring and evaluating the progress made towards achieving these goals.
The SCH is also responsible for supervising the quality and effectiveness of the healthcare providers' services and overseeing public health programs in contagious and communicable diseases.
The SCH has a CEO and Board of Directors, and 10 directorates:
- Pharmacy and Drug Control
- International Health Relations
- Administrative and Financial Affairs
- General Medical Commission
- Legal Affairs
- Health Information Technology
- Medical Licensing
- Communications and Media Relations
- Medical Offices for Treatment Abroad
- Public Health (including: Port and Food Control; Occupational Health; Communicable Diseases; Non-Communicable Diseases; Central Laboratories; Vital Statistics; Environment Health; and Health Education)
However, the SCH does not provide direct healthcare services; rather, these are the responsibility of public health institutions, such as the Hamad Medical Corporation and other private healthcare providers.
The Hamad Medical Corporation is made up of several hospital sites:
- Hamad General Hospital (621 beds)
- Rumailah Hospital (306 beds); which includes the Al Amal Hospital for cancer
- Women's Hospital (334 beds)
- Psychiatry Hospital
HMC also operates numerous primary care centres.
The private centres of excellence are:
- Sidra Medical and Research Centre (scheduled to open in late 2012)
Licensing
The Medical Licensing Department (MLD) establishes, maintains, and updates a register of licensed health practitioners and health service facilities in Qatar. The MLD licenses physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists and a range of allied health practitioners, including psychologists, opticians, chiropractors, audiologists, paramedics, podiatrists, speech therapists, midwives, physiotherapists, dieticians, dental hygenists, and medical technicians.
