Doha, Qatar: The Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), with the support of the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) and partners, is organizing the 5th International Primary Health Care Conference in Doha from November 9th to November 12th, 2023. This forms part of its commitment to continuously develop and improve primary health care in Qatar as a cornerstone of sustainable public health and the well-being of people and communities.
The 5th edition of the conference is organized this year under the theme “Lessons Learnt and Future Action for Sustainability.” This is based on the discussions, results, and recommendations of the 4th edition of the International Primary Health Care Conference held in 2020. The recommendations were centered on integrated care by focusing on developing population health systems that link integrated health care systems with the social determinants of health to promote healthy behaviors, promoting population health by reducing the need for secondary treatment, increasing attention devoted to preventive health, in addition to incorporating financial incentives for organizations working in the field of primary and specialized health care.
The previous conference also stressed, through its discussions, the importance of professional integration, capacity development of medical and non-medical staff, and creating a work environment to build a professional, distinguished, and integrated medical team. PHCC pays great attention to this aspect by training staff and leaders on behavior change skills, the ability to adapt, flexibility, the importance of continuous education for health staff, and educating workers about national guidelines.
In addition to the importance of integrating and involving the population and community in the health needs assessment and collecting information in diverse ways, which PHCC sought to achieve through the Patient Forum held annually, the periodic meetings of health centers friends, consultative sessions, and the continuous surveys to measure customer satisfaction, to improve projects and services provided.
Adding to the previous recommendations, and within the framework of consolidating achievements and addressing challenges, the work program of the upcoming conference in its 5th edition, set to be held in November 2023, focuses on vital issues that were chosen based on the lessons learnt, scientific objectives, and the shared future vision on prompting the culture of health awareness at the local, regional, and international levels. Whilst also exchanging experiences in light of previous and current challenges, the spread of epidemics and diseases, requiring compatibility and integration with partners to improve primary health care services.
The conference will also consider issues related to the elements of the primary health care strategy in Qatar, which are ensuring the provision of integrated, comprehensive, coordinated, and individual-centered health care, and planning based on the actual needs of all segments of society members in a balanced manner.
In this context, Dr. Mariam Abdul Malik, PHCC Managing Director and Conference Chairperson stressed the importance of partnership and working together to enhance investment, in all its forms, for sustainable primary health care for all, as facts and figures from the World Health Organization indicate that the lack of investment in primary health care leads to multiple other development impacts and challenges.
