The public can report illegal practices to the MoPH via email.

Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health temporarily closed a health facility on Monday for hiring four health practitioners before completing the required procedures to obtain their professional licenses to work in the country.

In a statement, the local health ministry described the decision as an “administrative closure” against the facility, which it did not name in its statement.

“The Ministry stresses that health facilities must adhere to health laws and avoid hiring health practitioners before completing their necessary professional licenses. Health practitioners also must adhere to the regulating laws related to the fields of specialisation,” the ministry said.

The MoPH added that it is carrying out inspections “to ensure compliance with the regulating laws, improve the quality of health care and ensure patient safety.” It added that the public can report illegal practices to the MoPH via email.

On February 19, Attorney-General Dr Issa Al Nuaimi referred two physicians in a private medical centre and a nurse working at the Primary Health Care Corporation to the criminal court to be prosecuted for their crimes.

Local authorities had found that they illegally obtained an undisclosed amount of money in exchange for issuing fake medical certificates, including sick leaves. The Public Prosecution had said the acts breached the medical code of ethics.

Then on March 5, the Public Prosecution penalised four defendants working at Hamad Medical Corporation for bribery, exploiting their positions and money laundering. The employees were among 16 captured by local authorities in July last year for the same charges, though it did not name any of them.

The defendants included a Qatari official, who received a 15-year prison sentence and a fine of QR 729 million.

Qatar’s health sector

Doha’s health sector has witnessed constant development over the decades, with the country’s health care ranked among the top 20 countries in Numbeo’s 2024 indexes for the fourth consecutive year.

Since 2021, Qatar has been ranked among the top 20 countries in the Numbeo Healthcare Index by Country. Qatar was also ranked first in the Arab world and 18th worldwide in the 2022 Health Care Index. 

Last year, five Qatari hospitals were ranked among the world’s top 250 academic medical centres, the highest number of hospitals from the region on the global ranking.

The ranking was part of a new study by leading United Kingdom-based consultancy, Brand Finance.