Doha, February 19 (QNA) - HE Minister of Public Health, Dr. Hanan Mohammed Al Kuwari, affirmed the State of Qatar's keenness to advance the health system and enhance primary care services, noting that it has focused over the past decade on developing the health care infrastructure and improving prevention and early intervention programs with the aim of improving health outcomes for patients and enhancing the quality of life in general.
Addressing a high-level panel discussion on the occasion of launching the Doha Global South Health Policy Initiative, HE Dr. Al Kuwari said that thanks to the unlimited support of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to the health sector in the State of Qatar, the country's comprehensive and globally recognized network of primary health care services is a strong example of a well-organized medical care system.
She explained that the health sector stands ready, through state programs to support low- and middle-income countries, for partnership, exchange of experiences and training.
Her Excellency added that despite the significant improvements that have occurred over the past decades, access to primary health care, even basic health services, represents a challenge in a number of countries due to geographical distance, inadequate infrastructure, and a shortage of trained medical staff in addition to the deteriorating conditions due to conflicts, environmental problems, lack of resources, and poor management and guidance, the situation has worsened.
At the end of her speech, Her Excellency Dr. Hanan Al Kuwari expressed hope that this initiative, which is fully consistent with internationally agreed global health strategies, would be able to collectively contribute to strengthening primary health care in low- and middle-income countries, and investing in their infrastructure, workforce and resources, in order to enable individuals and communities to take charge of their health and well-being.
Launched Monday by the Middle East Council for International Affairs and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Doha Global South Health Policy Initiative aims to create a collaborative dialogue and platform that enables countries of the Global South to delve deeper into the issues they face and the solutions they can implement to improve their health systems.
It also seeks to support low- and middle-income countries to achieve the much-needed health indicators of the Sustainable Development Goals, by providing the necessary technical and financial assistance to achieve this goal.
For his part, President of Global Development at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Dr. Chris Elias stressed that the Doha Global South Health Policy Initiative provides leaders from the Global South with a platform to share their priorities and challenges, noting that over the past twenty years, the world has succeeded in reducing the child mortality rate by half, but the past decade has witnessed a slowdown in this area.
Director of Middle East Council for Global Affairs Dr. Tarik Yousef appreciated the efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in promoting awareness of the importance of health care, and providing the opportunity for representatives of countries of the Global South to share their ideas in order to identify problems and challenges and propose solutions,pointing out that the role of those in charge of this initiative is to facilitate discussions and find the best ways to provide assistance collectively through the initiative, which is based on the exchange of knowledge and experiences, and aims to enable the Global South to determine the next steps to achieve the desired goals.
Participants in the panel discussion, which was attended by a lineup of officials from the World Health Organization, a number of African and Asian countries, international experts and representatives of a number of ministries and institutions, discussed the ways in which Qatar can support countries facing challenges in accessing health care, building on its valuable experience and important role in the World Health Organization and other global organizations. (QNA)