The Qatar government has allocated 2.8% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP), equivalent to $1.5bn, to funding and promoting research in medical and other fields, Hamad Medical Corporation Medical Research Centre chairman Dr Al-Hareth M al-Khater said.
He was speaking at a seminar on ‘Essentials of Research’ at the Hajar auditorium on Saturday.
Dr al-Khater said there was a research renaissance in Qatar inspired by the wise leadership of HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.
“With HH the Emir’s leadership the Qatari government is investing heavily in promoting research and especially medical research in the country,” he said.
More than 250 registered researchers, physicians, paramedics, nurses from HMC, Supreme Council of Health, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Shafallah Centre for Children with Special Needs and Qatar University took part in the one-day seminar.
“The aim of the seminar was to promote research among medical professionals and at the same time educate the participants on research ethics, methodologies, and how to safeguard patient rights, which is essential to research”, al-Khater said.
He also gave a brief overview of the history of medical research since the time of the famous Arab physician Ibn Sina, and the cutting edge research being done in Qatar.
Researchers at HMC Medical Research Centre made a number of presentations during the seminar.
Some of the key topics discussed included ‘Research Designs and Usage, Basic Research, Research Ethics and How to Write and Illustrate a Scientific Paper’ presented by a panel comprising HMC’s Medical Research Centre’s senior consultant Dr Rajvir Singh, consultant Dr El Rasheid Zakaria and specialist Dr Anjum Susan John. |
