Qatar has completed the second and final phase of the Joint External Assessment of the International Health Regulations (2005), which covered 19 technical areas, including surveillance, investigation, and response capacities for multiple risks such as infectious diseases and chemical and radiological hazards.
This assessment is a key reference for measuring progress in the International Health Regulations (2005).
In this context, the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), in co-operation with the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, organised the second phase of the Joint External Evaluation Workshop of the International Health Regulations at Itqan Clinical Simulation and Innovation Centre at Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City.
The workshop was attended by 138 specialists from various departments of the MoPH and other ministries in the country, in addition to representatives of the private health sector, the Qatar Red Crescent Society and other competent authorities.
During the workshop, practical training was carried out on how to face risks and emergencies in the areas of surveillance and response to communicable diseases, vaccinations, laboratories, pharmacy, supply and logistics, infection control and antimicrobial resistance, risk communication, planning, financing, human resources, emergency preparedness and response, food safety, animal health, environmental health, port health, in addition to chemical and radiological emergencies and security.
MoPH Health Emergency Department director Dr Soha al-Bayat thanked the participants in the second phase of the workshop for their contribution during the self-assessment phase of this evaluation conducted in August last year.
She highlighted the continuous efforts undertaken by the MoPH to improve and maintain Qatar’s core capacities in the field of International Health Regulations.
Dr al-Bayat stressed the importance of the WHO Joint External Assessment as a pivotal element in the country’s overall support in assessing and reporting on the core International Health Regulations capacities.
She added that Qatar will benefit from such tasks which will pave the way for further improvements in the capacities if necessary.
The first phase of the evaluation was held in August last year with the participation of representatives from the MoPH and competent authorities in Qatar.
