MoPH and HMC officials at the launch of the certificate programme.
Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Metabolic Institute (QMI) at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) officially launched Cycle II of the Certificate in Obesity Management and Bariatric Care on September 20.
The programme enhances healthcare workforce expertise and reinforces Qatar’s system-wide response to one of the nation’s most pressing health challenges — obesity.
Cycle II deepens workforce capacity and multidisciplinary care under HMC’s leadership through QMI, in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) and the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC).
Dr. Dabia Al-Mohanadi, Director of QMI and Division Chief of Endocrinology at HMC, stated: “Obesity is a complex and chronic disease that requires integrated solutions. This highlights the need for a coordinated national approach that extends beyond secondary and tertiary centres alone.
"By embedding prevention and management into primary care and strengthening collaboration across all levels of care, we are building an integrated model that ensures patients have earlier access to interventions and continuity of support.”
QMI, as a key arm of the National Diabetes Committee, is at the forefront of delivering Qatar’s National Health Strategy 2024-2030 Action Plan on Obesity, Diabetes and Modifiable Risk Factors for ASCVD. Cycle II of the Certificate in Obesity Management and Bariatric Care is a flagship project of this Action Plan, accelerating progress in building a skilled workforce.
Dr. Turki Al-Ahbabi, Head of Bariatric Medicine at QMI and Deputy Chair of the Scientific and Planning Committee, said: “We are redesigning care pathways, optimising referrals, and introducing a monitoring framework that tracks outcomes, referral trends, and patient and physician feedback. Alongside this, we are strengthening the continuum of care—from lifestyle interventions to bariatric surgery—so patients receive the right treatment at the right time. Our goal is to improve access, reduce delays, and deliver more efficient, patient-centred care.”
Dr. Mohamed ElSherif, Consultant in Endocrinology and Obesity Medicine at QMI and Chair of the Scientific and Planning Committee, highlighted the programme’s structure and faculty: “Cycle II has been designed to accommodate healthcare professionals from HMC, PHCC and private sector partners, ensuring a broad and multidisciplinary reach.
"Over a seven-month period, participants will complete a CPD-accredited curriculum worth 42 Category 1 and 2 Category 3 credit hours, combining workshops at Al Sadd Health Center, online modules accredited by the World Obesity Federation, and supervised clinical rotations at QMI’s Centers of Excellence.”
The curriculum is delivered by more than 50 expert faculty across endocrinology, obesity and bariatric medicine, bariatric surgery, nutrition, and dietetics — equipping participants with practical skills they can apply directly in patient care.
The program is supported through educational grants from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly and will conclude with a graduation ceremony in May 2026.
