Qatar, represented by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), is participating in the World Health Day observed on April 7, held under the theme ‘Health for All’. According to the World Health Organisation, 'Health For All' envisions that all people have good health for a fulfilling life in a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world, a MoPH statement said.
This year's celebration comes in light of the many achievements and challenges achieved by the health sector in Qatar thanks to the great support and attention given by the state under the leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.
HE the Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari, highlighted Qatar’s commitment to Health for All, stating that the health sector has made great progress in recent years to protect and support the health and well-being of Qatar’s population. “Qatar places great importance on the vision of Health for All. We understand that the health and well-being of Qatar’s population relies not only on ensuring easy access to high-quality medical services for all citizens and residents, but also on ensuring our population lives in an environment conducive to good health and have the knowledge and tools to support their own health,” she said.
The minister said Qatar’s achievement of World Health Organisation “Healthy City” status for all eight municipalities -- the first country in the world to achieve this status for all its municipalities -- in addition to similar awards for Qatar University and Education City, highlights Qatar’s Health in All Policies approach. The WHO Healthy City programme aims to improve the health of populations by promoting health and well-being, improving equity, enabling communities and preventing the main causes of ill health through incorporating health in all policies and enhancing cooperation and partnership across sectors and society.
HE Dr al-Kuwari identified several key health indicators for which the country excels, explaining that Qatar’s approach to Health for All is delivering measurable improvements on the population’s health. “Since 2014, Qatar has seen a continual fall in infant mortality rates, while the life expectancy of our population has risen and is above the GCC average. Additionally, Qatar ranks highly in its Universal Health Coverage Index, a global indicator assessing how countries provide access to quality health services, promote the well-being of families and communities, and protect against Qatar has supported many countries in the region and globally through its charity works to promote Health for All across the world. This has included providing medical support in Pakistan for its flood emergency; in Turkiye and Syria in the wake of the recent earthquake; in Bangladesh to perform general surgery and cardiac catheterisation operations for children; and pledging $20mn in support of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation.
Qatar’s health sector advances have recently received global recognition, with five hospitals being ranked among the world’s top 250 academic medical centres, with two achieving top 100 ranking - highlighting the sector’s commitment to combining patient care, medical research and education to achieve the best outcomes and experience for patients.