*PM launches National Health Strategy 2018-22
The National Health Strategy 2018-2022 under the theme ‘Our Health, Our Future’ was launched on Saturday in the presence of HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, at a special ceremony at Qatar National Convention Centre.
HE Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah,Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs; HE Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari, Minister of Public Health; and a number of ministers, top officials of major healthcare organisations in Qatar and a number of international healthcare experts were present on the occasion. The event also was attended by more than 2,500 healthcare professionals from across Qatar’s health sector, and a number of regional and international delegations.
The new strategy sets out 19 national targets for which progress will be measured. These include specific targets for increasing physical activity amongst adolescents, implementing workplace wellness programmes and improving access to mental health services.
It also reflects a global shift in thinking by focusing on seven priority population groups. It aims to shape services around people, patients and their families and change the way the health system works, moving from focusing on treating the symptoms of disease to helping people stay healthy.
HE Dr al-Kuwari emphasised the importance the National Health Strategy 2018-2022 as a seminal moment for Qatar’s health system and said: “Our ambition for the next stage in our journey is to make sure that all the population living in Qatar enjoys better health. This would be by further improving the healthcare system capacity and performance, a renewed effort on health promotion and diseases prevention and an efficient use of the available resources.”
Al-Kuwari highlighted that Qatar’s health system made enormous progress under the National Health Strategy 2011-2016, and the new strategy will build upon the momentum to define a new path forward, inspired by the Qatar National Vision 2030.
The minister stressed the important achievements by Qatar in healthcare and highlighted the achievement of being ranked 13th in the world for healthcare systems and first in the Middle East by the Legatum Institute in its Annual Global Prosperity Index and credited the achievements to the wise leadership of the country.
Dr Mariam Abdulmalik, managing director, Primary Health Care Corporation, said: “A key pillar of the National Health Strategy 2018-2022 is the shift from focusing on diseases to enhancing preventative health services. As the first point of contact for most patients in Qatar’s health system, primary care has a central role to play in realising this ambition.”
The event organised by the Ministry of Public Health was held in conjunction with the opening ceremony for the 2018 Middle East Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare.
“It is particularly fitting that the launch of the National Health Strategy 2018-2022 takes place at an important healthcare quality event in front of more than 2,500 doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and corporate staff from within Qatar’s health sector,” said Dr Abdulla al-Ansari, chief medical officer at Hamad Medical Corporation.
Strengthening collaboration among the various providers within Qatar’s health system is a key priority of NHS 2018-2022.
