Qatar, along with the rest of the world, will celebrate World Health Day today, commemorating the founding of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 1948.
Since its establishment, serving as the leading and co-ordinating authority on health within the United Nations system, it has led global health efforts, shaped research agendas, set standards, provided technical support to countries, and monitored and assessed health trends.
This year’s World Health Day comes as Qatar has made significant strides in the healthcare sector.
Under the leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, the sector has received strong support, enabling it to develop robust foundations and world-class infrastructure.
The country now boasts a network of 26 hospitals across public, semi-governmental, and private sectors, in addition to approximately 60,000 healthcare professionals, including nurses and other healthcare practitioners.
Qatar’s recent healthcare advancements have also gained international recognition, with five hospitals ranked among the world’s top 250 academic medical centers, including two within the top 100.
This reflects the sector’s commitment to integrating patient care with medical research and education to deliver optimal outcomes and patient experiences.
The country’s sustained commitment to advancing healthcare stems from a national vision that places people at the heart of its development.
Primary healthcare in Qatar has emerged as a leading model regionally and internationally, supported by strategic investment in human health and the development of an integrated system delivering high-quality
preventative, curative, and rehabilitative services in a safe and competitive environment.
The National Health Strategy 2024-30 has outlined three key priorities: improving population health and well-being, achieving excellence in service delivery and patient experience, and ensuring system efficiency and resilience.
Qatar’s healthcare sector continues to advance steadily in global rankings.
The country ranked first in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region and 18th globally in the 2025 Health Care Index, according to Numbeo.
This ranking underscores the high quality of healthcare services in Qatar, driven by innovation and the adoption of the latest global practices, in alignment with the Third National Development Strategy, alongside accessibility, affordability, and public trust in the healthcare system.
Furthermore, Qatar has received the WHO’s Healthy Cities accreditation for all eight of its municipalities, the first country to receive it nationwide.
Similar accreditations have also been granted to Qatar University and Education City, highlighting Qatar’s health-in-all-policy approach.
The Healthy Cities programme aims to improve population health by promoting well-being, enhancing equity, empowering communities, and addressing the root causes of ill health through cross-sector collaboration and integrated policymaking.
Since 2014, Qatar has witnessed a steady decline in infant mortality rates and a rise in life expectancy, making it the highest-ranked country in the region.
This coincides with Qatar’s high ranking in the Universal Health Coverage Index, a global indicator that assesses how well countries provide access to quality healthcare, promote the well-being of families and communities, and protect against public health crises.
Qatar has also supported many countries in the region and the world through its philanthropic work to promote health for all globally.
World Health Day is a global awareness campaign calling on all nations, leaders, and officials to focus on a single global health challenge.
World Health Day in 2026 is held under the theme Together for Health. Stand with Science, celebrating the power of scientific collaboration to protect the health of people, animals, plants, and the planet.
To mark the occasion, the year-long campaign will highlight the scientific achievements and multilateral cooperation needed to translate evidence into action – with a strong focus on the One Health approach.
The 2026 campaign is based on two major global events: the One Health Summit taking place today, hosted by the WHO and France, and the First Global Forum of WHO Collaborating Centres on April 7-9, which will see the participation of some 800 scientific institutions from more than 80 countries.
These two events form the largest scientific network ever assembled around a UN agency, underscoring that science-led partnerships can build a healthier and safer future for all.
The campaign calls on individuals everywhere to participate by celebrating scientific achievements, paying attention to evidence, and sharing personal stories about how science can improve quality of life.
It also calls on governments, scientists, health workers, partners and the public to support science by paying attention to evidence, facts and scientific guidance to protect health, rebuild trust in science and public health, support science-based solutions for a healthier future and chart a new course to protect the health of the planet.
Over the past century, human health has improved thanks to scientific innovations, and the future will certainly be built on how to develop and apply comprehensive scientific approaches to the health of all – not just humans, but also animals, plants, ecosystems, and the entire planet – through the One Health approach.
The WHO and its partners work around the clock to generate scientific knowledge on key health priorities, from healthy diets to water, sanitation, vaccines, medicines, infectious diseases, chronic diseases, and mental health, sharing evidence, and strengthening countries’ research capacities and systems to achieve more equitable access to healthcare.