Healthcare in Qatar
Before oil was discovered, healthcare consisted of traditional medicine: barbers performed circumcisions and other minor procedures, and herbalists dispensed natural remedies.
Abdulaziz bin Ahmed Al Thani, a state official during the 1930s and member of the ruling family of Qatar, was noted for his curing of illnesses by using cauterization.
It was commonly used in conjunction with herbal therapy, a form of treatment which utilized traditional herbs in Islamic medicine.
Locusts were also venerated for their purported healing abilities in local nomadic culture and were considered a delicacy because of their nutritious properties, leading to their additional use as livestock feed.
Prior to this, Qatari residents had to travel abroad in order to receive treatment for more severe illnesses, most typically going to the American Mission hospitals in Kuwait, Oman, or Bahrain, or to Iran.
The hospital opened in 1947 with a 12-bed capacity and was staffed by a single doctor from the American Mission, who was rotated on a recurrent basis.
The American Mission ceased sending staff members to the hospital in the late 1940s or early 1950s, and as a result, the government assumed full responsibility for its operation.
[6] The development of social services, including health care, accelerated after the accession in 1972 of Khalifa bin Hamad, who dramatically altered the allocation of oil revenues.
[7] Qatar has made developing a world class public health system one of its key goals through its National Vision 2030 initiative.
[8] In June 2009, in order to home in on collaboration amongst healthcare professionals, the Qatar Interprofessional Health Council was formed.
From July 2013 it has covered Qatari females aged 12 and above for gynaecology, obstetrics, maternity and related women’s health conditions.
From 30 April 2014, it provides comprehensive insurance coverage to Qatari nationals for basic health care needs, which includes almost all medical, dental and optical treatment except cosmetic surgery, alternative medicine and over-the-counter drugs.
[25] Endowed with $7.9 billion by Qatar Foundation, it is a large-scale project designed with state-of-the-art healthcare and education facilities intended to provide health services to the whole GCC region.
[25] Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), affiliated with Cornell University, is the premier non-profit health care provider in the country.
The hospital, which has been subsidized by Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, is set over multiple floors and over 150 falcons are treated each day.
[9] As the development of the healthcare system in Qatar grows, the administration is also undergoing improvements to offer a more global standard of patient care.
