The Primary Health Care Corporation’s (PHCC) efforts to significantly improve the quality of care and use of research evidence in health-decision making was lauded during a conference in Doha yesterday.
Primary care in the country has seen a significant growth, with PHCC providing population based care and prevention of diseases, said Professor Sian M. Griffiths (pictured), an accomplished international public health physician and academic speaking during the PHCC’s fourth Scientific Research Conference.
“15 years ago primary care was a scattered service here. The PHCC has pulled it all together. In 2006, I saw the plans and now those plans have been implemented. PHCC’s health centres are part of the community.
“ They do not focus only on treatment but on prevention and engaging people to make life style changes. It is concerned about the physical, mental and social wellbeing of the people,” Professor Griffiths, told The Peninsula.
“Research is very important in enhancing care and services. So investment and engagement in research are important elements. Everybody here knows what they can do and should do. They chosen the areas on research and working on it,” said Professor Griffiths, who was the adviser to the Ministry of Public Health, formally known as the National Health Authority in 2006.
She delivered a key note speech on ‘primary care Research: Current State of Art and thinking Ahead,’ during the opening session of the PHCC’s fourth Scientific Research Conference, at the Hilton Hotel Doha.
The two day conference has brought together several together world-class experts from around the globe, with this year’s theme focusing on ‘Promoting Preventive Interventions, Improving the Quality of Care’.
“The conference is a manifestation of Qatar’s commitment to development in primary healthcare research, providing a platform for knowledge sharing. It facilitates discussions of best practice as well as reinforcing Qatar’s legacy in promoting the development of health and well-being through the provision of outstanding healthcare services,” said Dr Mariam Abdul Malek, Managing Director of PHCC.
Several officials including Dr Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, Director of Public Health at MoPH were presented at the event.
Eleven prominent speakers covered a range of important topics on primary care research, using evidence to drive change and the importance of multisectoral approaches to preventive interventions.
The second keynote talk was delivered by Dr Allyson Pollock, consultant in public health medicine and director, Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, UK. She presented lessons from current changes of NHS in England and implications for how primary care services are organized and delivered.
Yesterday, experts discussed topics such as the role of technology and inquiry in primary care, translating research evidence into health policy and practice and knowledge translation facilitating co-creation of evidence in public health.
“The conference discusses recent research developments globally, regional and in Qatar. Four years ago we started it as a one day event and now have grown into a fully fledged conference of international standards,” said Dr Hamda Abdulla Qotba, Clinical Research Director, Clinical Affiars Directoratethe Primary Health Care Corporation.
