The Ministry of Public yesterday launched the National Health Strategy 2024-2030 marking the beginning of a new phase in the journey towards achieving excellence in its public health services. Being one of the few countries in the world that provides a free high-quality healthcare system, Qatar has been ranked among the top 20 countries in Numbeo Healthcare Index 2024, for the fourth consecutive year, by scoring 72.7 points.
The launch of the seven-year strategy indicates that the country is launching a new phase of enhancing the quality of health services, achieving several key healthcare objectives cementing its global and regional position as one of the best in basic healthcare delivery to the entire population of the country. Qatar’s healthcare system incorporates both public and private healthcare options that operate alongside the public health system to provide high-quality treatment medical services to citizens and expats alike.
“Under the wise leadership, we are committed to ensuring the sustainability of our healthcare system and meeting the health needs of the population in accordance with the highest standards” said the Minister of Public Health, H E Dr. Hanan Mohammed Al Kuwari during the launching ceremony. The goal as the Minister outlined is to achieve excellence, ensuring that Qatar enjoys the highest quality of life and achieve several key healthcare objectives, including “increasing life expectancy to 82.6 years, reducing mortality from non-communicable diseases by 36 percent, and lowering infant mortality to 2 per 1,000 live births.”
The strategy builds on the significant achievements made during the previous two National Health Strategies, which established a solid foundation for the continuous development of healthcare services for Qatar’s population. As the healthcare industry in Qatar has witnessed unprecedented levels of growth and achieved qualitative leaps in offering comprehensive and quality healthcare, it is also projected to make the country a hub for medical tourism.
“The new strategy will continue to unify integrated patient pathways, digitise our healthcare system, and increase research and development by adopting innovative solutions in both clinical and non-clinical fields, in pursuit of the vision of ‘Health for All’, the Minister stressed. Among the key features of the strategy is its aspiration to achieve the healthcare sector’s ambition of building “a health-focused society supported by an integrated health system centred on clinical excellence, sustainability, and innovation.”
The strategy not only focuses on the quality of healthcare services, and their accessibility, but also prioritises public health awareness, empowering patients and caregivers, proactive disease prevention and detection, and ensuring integrated health and well-being across all sectors. These outcomes are supported by significant initiatives, including universal vaccination coverage, occupational health and food safety.
