Minister of Public Health: National Health Strategy Aims to Provide Long, Healthy Life for Current, Future Generations

Doha: HE Minister of Public Health, Dr. Hanan Mohammed Al Kuwari said that the National Health Strategy 2024-2030 marks the beginning of a new phase in the journey towards achieving Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Third National Development Strategy for 2024-2030, noting that the new Strategy aims to provide a long and healthy life for current and future generations. Addressing the launch ceremony, HE the Minister said "Under the wise leadership of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, we are committed to ensuring the sustainability of our healthcare system and meeting the health needs of the population in accordance with the highest standards. Our goal is to achieve excellence, ensuring that Qatar enjoys the highest quality of life. We are working to achieve several key healthcare objectives, including increasing life expectancy to 82.6 years, reducing mortality from non-communicable diseases by 36 percent, and lowering infant mortality to 2 per 1,000 live births." Her Excellency also noted that " the strategy builds on the significant achievements made during the first and second National Health Strategies, which established a solid foundation for the continuous development of healthcare services for Qatar's population. The new strategy will continue to unify integrated patient pathways, digitise our healthcare system, and increase research and development by adopting innovative solutions in both clinical and non-clinical fields, in pursuit of the vision of 'Health for All'." During the launch ceremony of the National Health Strategy 2024-2030, leaders of the National Health Strategy 2018-2022 were honoured, as well as representatives from organisations involved in the successful response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the teams involved in the effective healthcare response to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. The teams contributing to all of Qatar's municipalities receiving the title of "Healthy City" from the World Health Organization, as well as Qatar Foundation's Education City being named a "Healthy Educational City", and Qatar University being awarded the title of "Healthy University", were also recognised. The launch ceremony featured a video introduction to the National Health Strategy 2024-2030, highlighting its key priorities and initiatives, alongside another video showcasing the major achievements of the National Health Strategy 2018-2022. Assistant Minister for Health Affairs, Dr Salih Ali Al Marri gave a presentation during the ceremony, in which he reviewed the sustainable achievements of the National Health Strategy 2018-2022 in improving the health of the population. He also shed light on the National Health Strategy 2024-2030 and its key features. The National Health Strategy 2024-2030 aspires to achieve the healthcare sector's ambition of building "a health-focused society supported by an integrated health system centred on clinical excellence, sustainability, and innovation." The strategy will be implemented over a seven-year period, with an execution plan targeting the strategy's prior ity areas. This plan aims to achieve 15 specific outcomes, supported by several significant initiatives and projects. Among the key outcomes of the "Improving Population Health and Well-being" priority are raising public health awareness, empowering patients and caregivers, proactive disease prevention and detection, and ensuring integrated health and well-being across all sectors. These outcomes are supported by significant initiatives, including universal vaccination coverage, occupational health, environmental health, and food safety. Key outcomes under the "Excellence in Service Delivery and Patient Experience" priority include developing updated, comprehensive care models and standards across the entire healthcare system, as well as excelling in primary, community, secondary, and specialised care. Important initiatives supporting these outcomes include the continuous improvement of population-specific services, quality of care, and the Health Tourism Programme. In the "Health System Efficiency and Res ilience" priority, outcomes include excellence in health research and innovation, effective emergency preparedness and response, a skilled and efficient workforce, and a robust digital healthcare system supported by data-driven decision-making, strong governance, and sustainable healthcare financing. Notable initiatives under this priority include cross-sector collaboration, enhancing public-private partnerships, workforce skills development, applied health intelligence, and investment in biotechnology and medical security. Additionally, a comprehensive communication plan has been developed to support the implementation of the strategy. The plan focuses on raising awareness among all stakeholders, ensuring continuous engagement with patients to enhance their participation in their healthcare journey, and improving patient satisfaction across all healthcare facilities. The strategy also prioritises patient experience, continuity of previous strategy projects, and supporting Qatar's economic diversification ag enda. Following the launch of the strategy, Assistant Minister of Health for Health Affairs, Dr. Saleh Al Marri; Director General of Primary Health Care Corporation, Dr. Mariam Abdulmalik; and Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Clinical Affairs at Hamad Medical Corporation, Dr. Yousef Al Maslamani spoke, at a press conference, about the importance of the new strategy in achieving Qatar National Vision 2030 in enhancing the health well-being of the population in the State of Qatar, taking into account the need to involve the patient in designing an advanced health system that serves their needs. They stressed that the strategy also aims to further advance the health system by expanding services and increasing specialized services, with a focus on making the State of Qatar a medical tourism destination, as an initiative will be launched in this regard in the near future. Source: Qatar News Agency