Shura Council hails growth of health services

The Shura Council held its weekly session Monday, under the chairpersonship of its Speaker HE Hassan bin Abdullah al-Ghanem.During the session, the Council reviewed among others the report of the Services and the Public Utilities Committee on the general discussion request submitted by a number of Council members, with regard to delaying appointments in government health institutions.In the context of discussing the report, HE the Speaker hailed the remarkable development in the health sector, pointing out the wise leadership’s keenness to develop this vital and important sector, which contributes to enhancing the wellbeing of citizens in accordance with the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030.He stressed that the Council pays great attention to this sector because of its impact on the wellbeing of citizens, adding that it is the Council’s responsibility to address any shortcomings in this sector by co-operating with the esteemed government to find out the reasons for delaying medical appointments, which is something that the Council addressed by interacting with citizens and learning about their concerns and problems.HE al-Ghanem pointed out the hosting of HE the Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari alongside several specialists from the ministry at the Council’s 28th session, to review the efforts made by the ministry to improve the services it provides to citizens, stressing that the Council is a major supporter of such efforts.As the report was reviewed, Chairperson of the Council’s Services and the Public Utilities Committee Abdul Rahman bin Yousuf al-Khulaifi highlighted the meetings held by the committee with representatives of the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) and its affiliated institutions, to closely examine the reasons for delaying appointments in government health institutions. After extensive discussions based on the report’s conclusions, the Council decided to submit a proposal to the government aimed at developing the appointment system in government health institutions.The proposal included several measures that would contribute to overcoming the problem of delayed medical appointments, developing the services provided to citizens, and providing high-quality service in accordance with the highest international practices and standards.The Shura Council’s proposal focused on several axes, including the improvement of the automated system for medical appointments to give priority to citizens, and the commitment to specify an appropriate time for the appointment according to the medical condition and necessity, in addition to the provision of emergency services in primary care centres in external regions, such as the Hamad Hospital Emergency Centre, and the consideration of the possibility of providing specific specialities. The proposal also called for filling the need for medical personnel, and finding an appropriate mechanism to limit the transfer of medical personnel from the government sector to the private sector.The proposal stressed the necessity of the presence of health insurance as a basic condition for renewal among the conditions for renewing foreigners’ residency (except for domestic workers), with the aim of reducing pressure on clinics and hospitals affiliated with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC). The proposal also stressed the necessity of obtaining international health insurance — including private clinics and hospitals, among the conditions for granting tourist visas and family visas.The proposal also has an emphasis on the need to find a mechanism for electronic linking of patient files between hospitals in the government sector and the private sector, especially in emergencies, so that the case can be addressed immediately to avoid deterioration of the patient’s health condition.In addition, the proposal called for the need to find a mechanism for ambulance services, for cases that do not require transfer to the emergency, to avoid exploiting the service for direct transfer to outpatient clinics to avoid delays in appointments.The proposal pointed out the importance of enabling and encouraging Qatari students to join medical specialities, and increasing Qatari administrative cadres working in hospitals and health centres, especially in reception and review services, while giving them training courses in dealing with the public.