Qatar directs private dieticians, dietary centres to obtain licences
New policy seeks to monitor mushrooming facilities and practitioners
Manama All private dieticians and dietary centres in Qatar have been told to obtain proper licences by the end of this year.
Rapid growth of such private practices may have prompted the Supreme Council of Health (SCH) to lay down regulations to ensure that health and safety standards are adhered to, Qatari daily The Peninsula reported on Sunday.
The high prevalence of diabetes and obesity has pushed up demand for dieticians in the country.
The SCH said that a new policy had been adopted to monitor facilities and practitioners, a senior official at the Medical Licensing Department (MLD) said.
Qualifications
All clinical dieticians and dietician technicians working in the private sector must now obtain a licence from the SCH.
A bachelor's degree in dietetics or a bachelor of science degree and a postgraduate diploma in dietetics, or a bachelor of science degree and a master's degree in dietetics, two years of clinical practice and a professional licence from the home country are required to be a registered clinical dietician.
Dietetic technicians assist clinical dieticians. A dietetic technician cannot develop nutritional or dietary therapy or treatments, or accept or transmit verbal orders. A dietetic technician must have completed at least a two-year associate's degree in dietetics or a related discipline.
