The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), in collaboration with its partners, recently hosted a symposium to honour 57 primary care physicians from the Primary Health Care Corp (PHCC) who successfully completed the internationally recognised obesity management certification programme.
The initiative was conducted in partnership with the Qatar Metabolic Institute (QMI) at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), reinforcing Qatar's commitment to improving obesity prevention and treatment.
The ceremony preceded the official celebration of World Obesity Day on March 4.
Led by the World Obesity Federation, the observance aims to raise awareness and promote collective action to prevent obesity.
The theme for this year, *Change Systems, Healthier Lives, emphasises the necessity for systemic reforms in healthcare, policy, food systems, and the built environment to combat obesity globally.
Sheikh Dr Mohamed al-Thani, the director of Non-Communicable Diseases Prevention Programmes and co-chair of the MoPH’s National Diabetes Committee, emphasised the urgent need for collective action in addressing obesity and its associated health risks, including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
"Obesity is not just an individual challenge,” he stressed. “It is a societal issue that demands systemic change.”
“True progress happens when governments, healthcare professionals, businesses, and communities unite to build healthier environments and empower individuals to make sustainable lifestyle choices,” Sheikh Dr Mohamed added. “Together, we can transform the future of health and well-being in Qatar and beyond.”
"When we change systems, we change lives. Let's work together to build a healthier, stronger future for all,” he said.
Senior consultant and family physician Dr Samya al-Abdulla, the executive director of operations at the PHCC, congratulated the 57 primary care physicians who completed the six-month, CPD (Continuing Professional Development)-accredited training delivered by the QMI, in collaboration with the MoPH and PHCC.
She highlighted the pivotal role of primary care in obesity prevention.
"Through the PHCC's screening and wellness programmes, we bring high-quality obesity prevention and management services closer to the community, ensuring that care remains accessible and person-cantred," Dr al-Abdulla said.
QMI consultant in endocrinology and obesity medicine Dr Mohamed Aly Elsherif, the chair of the Scientific and Planning Committee, underscored the comprehensive nature of this six-month training initiative, the first of its kind in the Middle East and Gulf region.
The programme comprises three key phases: interactive workshops, in-depth online training for SCOPE certification, and hands-on clinical practice at the QMI's National Obesity Treatment Centre and National Bariatric Centre.
"This high-quality programme ensures physicians acquire specialised expertise in obesity management, equipping them to improve community-based care, Dr Elsherif said. “We are excited to work with this new cohort of trained professionals to raise the standard of care in the region."
QMI director Professor Abdul Badi Abou-Samra, the co-chair of the National Diabetes Committee at the MoPH, reaffirmed Qatar's commitment to addressing obesity and diabetes through the National Health Strategy (NHS-3) 2024-2030.
"The Action Plan for Obesity, Diabetes, and Modifiable Risk Factors for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Diseases (ASCVD) sets strategic objectives to reduce obesity prevalence and Body Mass Index (BMI) levels,” he said.
“The plan also aims to expand screening efforts to reach 75 % of the target population by 2030 and decrease the percentage of individuals with more than three risk factors to 30 % through prevention and management programmes," said Prof Abou-Samra.
He further noted that the Obesity Management and Bariatric Care Certification is the first of 59 initiatives under the Action Plan, underscoring Qatar's proactive approach to combating obesity and related metabolic disorders.
