Doha, Qatar: The State of Qatar has completed the second and final phase of the Joint External Assessment of the International Health Regulations (2005), which covered 19 technical areas, including surveillance, investigation, and response capacities for multiple risks such as infectious diseases and chemical and radiological hazards. This assessment is a key reference for measuring progress in the International Health Regulations (2005).
In this framework, the Ministry of Public Health, in cooperation with The WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, organized the second phase of the Joint External Evaluation Workshop of the International Health Regulations (2005) at Itqan Clinical Simulation and Innovation Center in Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City.
The workshop was attended by 138 specialists from various departments of the Ministry of Public Health and other ministries in the country, in addition to representatives of the private health sector, Qatar Red Crescent and other competent authorities.
During the workshop, practical training was carried out on how to face risks and emergencies in the areas of surveillance and response to communicable diseases, vaccinations, laboratories, pharmacy, supply and logistics, infection control and antimicrobial resistance, risk communication, planning, financing, human resources, emergency preparedness and response, food safety, animal health, environmental health, port health, in addition to chemical and radiological emergencies and security.
Director of MoPH Health Emergency Department Dr. Soha Al Bayat thanked the participants in the second phase of the workshop for their valuable contribution during the self-assessment phase of this evaluation which was conducted in August 2023. She highlighted the continuous efforts undertaken by MoPH to improve and maintain the State of Qatar’s core capacities in the field of International Health Regulations (2005).
Al Bayat stressed the importance of the WHO Joint External Assessment a pivotal element in the country’s overall support in assessing and reporting on the core International Health Regulations (IHR) capacities. She added that the State of Qatar will benefit from such tasks which will pave the way for further improvements in the capacities if necessary.
The first phase of the evaluation was held in August 2023 with the participation of representatives from MoPH and competent authorities in Qatar.
