Undoubtedly, access to quality healthcare for both citizens and residents is one of the highest priorities of the State of Qatar, and the country ranks among the top three in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region for health infrastructure. The country’s healthcare system incorporates both public and private medical care, and the quality of treatment is very high for citizens and residents alike.
Qatar boasts the highest healthcare expenditure per capita in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) with $1.8bn according to a report by the Investment Promotion Agency Qatar, and the country’s burgeoning pharmaceutical industry is also proving to be an increasingly desirable hub for foreign investment, largely due to its competitive business landscape, robust medical infrastructure, and extensive funding for research and development, according to the organisation.
A cornerstone of Qatar’s success in this space has been the Qatar National Health Strategy 2018-2022. The strategy seeks to develop healthcare services and stimulate private sector involvement, supported by the government’s commitment to steady growth in health expenditure and private healthcare spending. In a bid to further improve efficiency and ensure that everyone is better served, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) recently launched the national campaign ‘Where For Your Care?’ which is aimed at reducing the volume of non-emergency 999 calls to the Ambulance Service, while encouraging the public to only visit emergency departments for serious, medical emergencies that require immediate intervention.
According to the Assistant Executive Director of HMC’s Ambulance Service, Ali Darwish, an average of 20?lls received through the National Command Centre requesting ambulance services are minor cases that are non-emergency and non-life-threatening, like minor trauma, and minor medical cases to other health facilities as the primary health centers distributed across Qatar.
The import of this development is that it contributes to the overburdening of emergency healthcare systems, besides affecting the prompt delivery of services to those who genuinely are in need of it, among others.
With Qatar’s population having recently grown to just over three million, ‘Where For Your Care?” aims to educate the public by highlighting that ambulances should be reserved for those facing a life-threatening medical emergency such as a stroke, heart attack, unconsciousness, seizure, choking, or a severe allergic reaction.
The general public must join hands with the healthcare providers in the country to ensure the success of this noble campaign, which will further enhance healthcare delivery in the country.
