An Overview of the Healthcare System in Qatar
Qatar’s National Health Authority (NHA) was established by Emiri decree in 2005, to replace the former Ministry of Public Health. The main goal for establishing the NHA is to provide a quality of healthcare which matches the best in the world. The NHA’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 NHA 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 NHA 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 NHA 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
- Women's and Children's Hospitals
- The Heart Centre for Cardiac Care
- Al-Amal Centre for Cancer Care
- Diabetes and Obesity Centre
- Neurosciences Centre
- Psychiatry Hospital
The private centres of excellence are:
- Sidra Medical and Research Centre (scheduled to open in 2011)
- Qatar Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Hospital (Aspetar)
Licensing
The NHA licenses facilities and practitioners. However, the NHA licenses only private health practitioners. It does not license health practitioners employed by the government.
The NHA licenses physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists and a range of allied health practitioners. Currently, “allied health practitioners” includes, but is not limited to psychologists, opticians, chiropractors, audiologists, paramedics, podiatrists, speech therapists, midwives, physiotherapists, dieticians, dental hygienists, and medical technicians. The NHA will expand the types of allied health professions it licenses as new areas develop and are needed. Physicians, dentists, and pharmacists must pass an exam, which has a written and oral component, and which are held three times per year, usually in April, July, and August.
For more information, see:
Qatar National Health Authority
