Brief History of the Health Care System

performed circumcisions and other minor procedures, and herbalists dispensed natural remedies. A one-doctor "hospital" opened in Doha in 1945. In 1951 Shaykh Ali ibn Abd Allah agreed to a British doctor and a small staff. The first state hospital, Rumailah Hospital, opened in 1959 with 170 beds. A 165-bed maternity hospital was established in 1965.
The development of social services, including health care, accelerated after the accession in 1972 of Shaykh Khalifa ibn Hamad, who dramatically altered the allocation of oil revenues. This included transferring the ruler's 25 percent of oil revenues to the state budget. But the health budget suffered because of the downturns in oil revenues. In 1986, for example, there were cuts of 10 percent in clinic staff.

 

Key organizational changes over last 5 years in the public system, and consequences
Qatar's healthcare sector has come a long way since the country's first hospital opened its doors almost 50 years ago. Today, the industry boasts the most advanced medical equipment and highly qualified staff, a countrywide network of hospitals and healthcare centers, as well as a cardiology department that is referred to by outside specialists as "one of the best in the world". And according to a report from the general secretariat of the GCC ministers of health, Qatar enjoys the region's lowest maternal mortality rate. Back in October 1957, Rumaillah Hospital opened as a 200-bed general hospital with ambulance services and a large outpatient facility. With the years, as the population's medical needs grew, the country decided that something had to be done and the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) was established to provide state-of the-art diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Since its establishment in October 1979, HMC has become Qatar's leading non-profit healthcare provider through its network of Primary Health Care Centers and four highly specialized hospitals in the capital, Doha. At these HMC facilities, medical and dental treatment is free for Qatari's and heavily state-subsidized for expatriates. To use the facilities, residents and visitors are required to apply for a QR100/year ($ 30) health card, which allows them to pay small charges for various tests and consultations as well as a nominal fee for inpatient care. In recent years, in addition to establishing new health centers, the following steps have been taken to reorient services towards primary health care:

Recently, a planning committee, comprising representatives of the various departments of the Ministry of Health, as well as of hospitals, was established as a nucleus for a national planning committee for health development.

 

Modern, for-profit
With regard to the Private Sector health services, there is a growing number of private clinics and practitioners in Qatar. With a growing population and increasing costs, the Ministry of Public Health expects the private sector to lift some of the burden off its shoulders. So, it is the intention of the top health ministry officials to encourage the
private sector facilities. In the private sector, there are close to 131 dental clinics, 128 medical clinics and 23 polyclinics that offer consultancy in different specialties. There are two private hospitals with a capacity of 100 beds in which 1294 doctors were employed and they are committed to excellence. These hospitals provide high quality medical care and patient services. Also, they provide the best in diagnostic and therapeutic services within an atmosphere of caring and concern of compassion. Licensing Committee in the Ministry of Public Health plays a major supervisory role over the private health sector activities.
The Qatari government has also encouraged the private sector to play a greater role in providing healthcare to the public. The country's first private hospital opened in late 1999, and private practices and clinics (both medical and dental) now offer a full range of medical services, from rheumatology and dermatology to reflexology and home nursing care. Laws governing private practice are strict, and licensing by the Ministry of Public Health - which oversees all health services in the country - is mandatory for all establishments and each of their medical and nursing staff. Private medical service facilities have expanded to represent 67% of al the country's health services providers, helping to ease the burden on HMC and the Primary Health Care Centers.

Key changes in private sector organization
The ministry of Public Health encourages the establishment of private medical service facilities; so much so, now they represent 67% of all the country's health services providers. The council of ministers has issued a decision to allow the investment of GCC capitals in health services in the state of Qatar.

Planned changes to private sector organization
The ministry of public health is in the process privatizing the health sector by introducing health insurance service for non-Qataris. Planning is underway to implement this service in coordination with the concerned employers in the public and private sectors. The ministry of public health supervises health insurance companies and decides the roles of private hospitals and clinics that are going to extend health insurance service.

 

Brief description of current overall structure
Health sector has come a long way to provide the most advanced medical equipments and qualified cadres as well as expand the cover of health services all over the country through a wide network of hospitals and health centers. Health services in Qatar are discharged through a compact link chain from primary to intensive care and from health centers to major hospitals.
During the year 2003, there were 186 primary health care units including private clinics in Qatar for providing primary health care services and the ratio of PHC units was 2.6 units per 10,000 population while the ratio of hospital beds was 20.3 per 10,000 population.
The Preventive Health Department is responsible for fighting contagious diseases; carrying out vaccination, immunization and food and quarantine watch control; providing health education in the field of mother and child care and insuring environmental health and safety. A section for incommunicable diseases was set up comprising three units: tobacco control unit, chronic diseases and accidents control and statistics unit and nutrition unit. The Primary Health Services Department of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) supervises 23 primary health care centers, which are conveniently distributed across the country. It provides various programs including health awareness; child and mother care; immunization against child diseases; diagnostic and treatment services of common and chronic diseases; medicines; nutritious food; clean water and ambulance and emergency services. The Ministry of Public Health is working to set up health centers on the highways such as al-Shamal, Dukhan, Abu Samra and Mesaieed highways, in collaboration with the ambulance and emergency health services centers,
thus effectively stretching health care activity outside Doha. In the same context, a number of developments have been made including the inauguration of a child emergency unit in al-Wakrah health center and al-Matar health center; enlarging the parking lot of Madinat Khalifa health center; completing the emergency unit of al-Shaml health center and rehabilitating some other health centers. Two health centers are going to be opened for the first time in Doha central market and al-Kara'ana areas on the road to Abu Samra. Health Commission Department carries out medical checks on everybody entering the country for work or visit, and issues certificates of health fitness for such categories as those who are about to get married and who are applying for jobs, universities or public housing.
With private hospitals playing a vital role, the private health sector in the state of Qatar has developed considerably. In 2003, the private health sector included 23 health complexes, 131 dental clinics, 128 medical clinics and 2 general hospitals, in which 1294 doctors were employed.