Over 2500 Delegates Virtually Attend the Region's Largest Healthcare Conference

The 8th Middle East Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare

Minister of Public Health: “The words of praise from His Highness The Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani to the healthcare sector are an honor and a strong motivation for all of us to exert even more efforts in fulfilling our responsibilities”

Doha 20 November, 2021: The largest conference in the Arab world dedicated to healthcare quality improvement and patient safety recently concluded with nearly 2,500 healthcare leaders and practitioners from Qatar and across the region attending the three-day conference virtually. 

The 8th Middle East Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare included the participation of international and local speakers, who provided valuable lectures and scientific content to the Forum under the theme of “Igniting Change: Shaping the Future Together.”  The Forum was held in collaboration with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), a global leader in the field of health and healthcare improvement.

Her Excellency Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, Minister of Public Health, in her opening address to the Forum said: “The words of praise and honor of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani at the historic inauguration of the first elected Shura Council in Qatar, and his appreciation for the healthcare sector and healthcare workers will serve as a strong motivation for all of us to exert even more effort in fulfilling our professional, national and humanitarian responsibilities.”

Her Excellency emphasized that the hard work of healthcare workers across the country has enabled Qatar’s healthcare system to meet the increased demand for health services stemming from the nation’s growing population, and especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Her Excellency added, “As healthcare workers, we have been at the forefront of the government’s strategy to combatting the COVID-19 pandemic. By working together across the healthcare system, in partnership with many ministries and public and private organizations, and in collaboration with the community, our healthcare teams have been central to Qatar having one of the lowest COVID-19 mortality rates and one of the highest COVID-19 vaccination rates in the world.”

“However, our success in confronting COVID-19 did not happen by chance,” she continued. “The work we have put in, year after year, to increase capacity and improve the quality of care we deliver, placed us in a strong position to confront the pandemic. In the past 10 years across the public healthcare system, we have opened 10 state-of-the-art hospitals, eight new primary healthcare centers, and multiple new specialist facilities. Qatar’s healthcare system now has some of the most advanced medical technology in the world.” 

As Her Excellency was concluding her opening remarks, she explained that country’s ambulance service, surgical facilities, cancer treatment facilities, and diagnostic services are all fully equipped with leading-edge technology on par with the very best healthcare providers around the globe. Qatar’s healthcare system is now more connected than ever before, due to the advanced digital systems we have implemented, with clinical teams able to access patient records in facilities right across the public healthcare system. 

Dr. Kedar Mate, MD, President and CEO of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) stated IHI were delighted to be partnering with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) to highlight quality improvement in healthcare and co-deliver a successful 2021 Middle East Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare.

Dr. Mate added: “We’re seeing so many great and inspiring improvements in healthcare all around the world, and we continue to be impressed with Qatar’s commitment to quality and safety. This has been even more evident during the fight against COVID-19.  We are delighted with our continued partnership with Hamad Medical Corporation as it continues to demonstrate and model the commitment and leadership that health systems need to succeed. By hosting this Forum and its commitment to continuous quality improvement, HMC is helping drive innovation and implement proven methods for the benefit of patients, their families, healthcare staff and the communities we serve."

The Forum was not held in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions, but returned this year showcasing one of the largest and most wide ranging programs in the history of the event. This year more than 165 speakers from Qatar, Canada, the UK, Kuwait and Oman participated, and more than 90 posters highlighting quality improvement projects were presented as part of the Forum’s poster competition.

Source: Hamad Medical Corporation