(MENAFN- The Peninsula) By Mohammed Osman | The Peninsula
DOHA: Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani yesterday attended the inauguration ceremony of the National Health Strategy (NHS 2018-2022) and the opening of the 6th Middle East Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare at Qatar National Convention Center.
The Middle East Forum is hosting more than 2,500 health professionals from 75 countries to discuss, over three days, a number of themes related to patient-centered care, improvement and development science, patient safety, leadership and capacity building.
The new National Health Strategy has recognised that the entire population of Qatar will enjoy better health by improving the performance of the healthcare system as well as the efforts made in promoting effective disease prevention, said Minister of Public Health H E Dr Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari.
Speaking at the opening session H E Dr Hanan pointed out that the strategy identified 19 key performance indicators that help to focus and measure progress at the local level and compare it to global levels, such as improving the effectiveness of emergency services by verifying that 85 percent of those coming to the emergency department are screened, treated and discharged within four hours.
She added that management of chronic diseases such as diabetes will be improved by reducing hospital admissions by 15 percent and by improving specialised services at the primary healthcare level.
The Minister of Public Health added that efforts will also be strengthened to support the improvement of healthy lifestyles in society and reduce unhealthy behaviours such as smoking which the Ministry will look to cut by 30 percent in the next five years.
The Minister explained that the National Health Strategy will focus on seven population groups, each with its own needs, including health of children and adolescents, women, employees, mental health and wellbeing, multiple chronic diseases, health of people with special needs and the elderly people.
The NHS (2018-2022) launched under the theme 'Our Health Our Future, aims to improve health of existing and future generations of Qatar.
The Minister added that the new strategy provides a roadmap to transformation the health system to a more comprehensive and integrated one.
The opening ceremony was attended by a number of Their Excellencies the Ministers and health care professionals from the State of Qatar along with regional and international delegations.
Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani and a number of Their Excellencies the Ministers and healthcare professionals at the launch of NHS (2018-2022).
Following the ceremony, the Prime Minister opened exhibition 'Corner of Knowledge accompanying the Forum, where he was briefed on the projects implemented by in the health sector for improving healthcare services in the country.
The strategy's priorities also include five system wide areas that include integrated model of high quality care and services with targets of reduction of overall amenable cause specific mortality by 5%, reduction of preventable hospital admissions for primary care sensitive condition by 15%. The second system priority area is enhanced health promotion and disease prevention which has national targets by 2022 to decrease obesity rate by 5%, and reduction of in smoking prevention by 30%.
The third system area in the priority is enhanced health protection, health in all polices and finally the effective system of government and leadership.
In her speech the Minister reviewed the achievements of the first national health strategy (2011-2016), which was six years long and helped make tremendous progress in improving the quality of care provided to patients and helped ensure that cancer patients were screened early and treated more quickly to enhance their chances of surviving the disease.
The Minister stressed that the important health achievements would not have been possible without the great support and vision of the wise leadership of Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
The Minister of Health also highlighted that the Hamad Medical Corporation opened three new hospitals in Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City and receives more than 40,000 monthly referrals. Sidra hospital meanwhile will be fully operational and the newly opened six health centers will play a greater role in providing care to patients close to their homes.
Dr Hanan Al Kuwari pointed out that the improvements made by the health system have been recognized around the world. She noted that last week Qatar's health system ranked 13th in the world and first in the Middle East according to the World Prosperity Index, an important and proud achievement for all.
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