By Noimot Olayiwola/Staff Reporter


A Korean delegation comprising officials from top government ministries and the healthcare sector yesterday organised a Korea-Qatar Medical Industry Co-operation Forum in Doha in a bid to introduce the East Asian country’s healthcare system and the concept of digital hospital to the Qatari health authorities.
The forum, supported by Korea’s Ministry of Knowledge Economy, was jointly organised by the Qatar Chamber, Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Korea Digital Hospital Export Agency (KDHEA) and Yonsei University Healthcare System.
The event, held at the Movenpick Hotel Tower and Suites, showcased the features of a digital hospital as well as the workability of smart public healthcare centres, being described as a system of remote diagnosis, remote management and remote education due to its affordability and healthcare IT convergence model that is usable in medically vulnerable remote areas.
Speaking to Gulf Times on the sideline of the event, the Korea’s Ministry of Knowledge Economy Emerging Economies Co-operation director general Chang K Kim stressed the need to increase relations between Qatar and Korea in healthcare and education.
“Korea and Qatar have been in partnership since a long time ago, especially in the oil and gas fields. However, we saw the need to further increase this co-operation in other fields because we firmly believe that Qatar is the right partner in the region,” he said.
“Korea has a total of $1tn trade volume worldwide including some $150bn investments in oil and gas and mineral resources with some Middle Eastern countries including Qatar that exports liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Korea,” he said adding that Korea is the world’s number three steel manufacturer apart from having world’s fifth petrochemical, textile and automobile industries.
Kim noted that it had become attractive for investors to come to Qatar, which is fast becoming a centrepiece for the region.
“Qatar is becoming the centrepiece of investments for the region and there is a huge influx of workers here, so if there is no good healthcare and educational infrastructure in place, living here could be so difficult for some people,” he said.
He suggested that due to the interconnectivity of information technology, Qatar can develop its own programme, modelled after Korea’s medical IT industry, and export it to other neighbouring countries.
“Our hope is to see Qatar take up this position as the beacon for other Middle Eastern countries in this regard and we are looking forward to inviting Qatari senior medical officials to Korea to witness first-hand our unique digital hospital concept,” he said.
The official also urged the Qatari government to provide some space for the Koreans in Qatar where they can demonstrate the medical IT concept alongside a Korean cultural shows and display.
“We are already speaking with the Qatar Chamber and the Supreme Council of Health on this initiative,” he said.
Speaking about the Qatari healthcare infrastructure and investment opportunity at the forum, SCH assistant secretary general for Medical Affairs Dr Salih al-Marri described the outlook of healthcare in Qatar, both currently and in the future making references to the Qatar National Vision 2030, National Health Strategy 2011-2016 and the National Development Strategy.
“Qatar has ambitions to improve its healthcare system and due to challenges, we have identified some gaps and specific areas, which we must fill, and that is why we are calling for help by finding the right people that have overcome such similar challenges,” he noted.
The officials said that the SCH had covered so many of the challenges and had also planned ahead for others that might emerge apart from also developing scenarios of future challenges.
Other speakers at the one-day event included Qatar Chamber board member Ibtehaj Mohamed al-Ahmadani, Yonse University Severance Hospital’s Yong Oock Kim, KDHEA director Young-Han Shim and Korea-based Medical Standard’s You-bin Lee.