Qatar abolishes health ministry

Qatar has abolished the ministry of health and set up a new authority in an attempt to improve health services, Qatar News Agency has said.

The National Health Authority (NHA) will replace the ministry, according to a decree issued by the Emir, His Highness Shaikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani. Shaikha Ghalia Bint Mohammad Al Thani, a paediatrician and well-known human rights activist, was appointed chairwoman of the board and Shaikh Khalid Bin Jabr Al Thani deputy chairman.

Another Emiri Decree appointed Hajar Ahmad Hajar adviser to the Emir for public health affairs with the rank of minister.

"The switchover from the ministry to the NHA is not a mere change in nomenclature," a local Arabic daily reported Shaikha Ghalia as saying. "It will indeed be a shift to new concepts in health management so as to achieve high international standards in health care, both in preventive health and in therapy."

Sources close to the health ministry said the decision is part of the authorities' plan to decentralise its public administration and improve efficiency.

A similar decision has already resulted in shutting down the ministry of information, while the ministry of education is also under reform.

According to a source, the Emir's move also comes in the framework of a long-term plan to privatise some segments of the public administration sector, although there has been no official statement in this regard.

Shaikha Ghalia said one of the first measures to be taken will be to reduce waiting time for patients at public clinics and hospitals, the daily said. Other issues on the list of the top priorities are the improvement of the standard of medical services and quality control criteria, she said.

The other members of the board are Mohammad Ganem Al Ali, Abdullah Khalid Al Qatani, Ahmad Mahdi Al Majid, Mohammad Ali Nasser Al Hussain, Thomas Undo and Shan Griffith. According to the Emiri decision, they will serve a term of four years.

Hajar said the new authority will have to face "huge challenges", but was confident it would succeed in providing exemplary health services.

The decision to shut down the ministry has spread concern among its employees.

Hajar could not say whether the employees would retain their jobs, but said the ministry would not give up the productive and experienced cadres in its service. "However, the NHA will address this issue soon," he added.