As National Health Strategy 2011-16 is set to complete its six-year timeframe, next National Health Strategy 2017-22 is likely to focus on occupational health and non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Non-communicable diseases have emerged as the main challenge for country’s health managers. Oxford Business Group in “The Report Qatar 2016” notes: “On most measures of public health, Qatar mirrors developed countries. Infectious diseases such as HIV and tuberculosis are virtually non-existent.”
The report states that the big health challenge lies rather with NCDs, which cause some 69% of mortalities. “The most fatal NCD is cardiovascular disease, at 24% of total deaths in the country, followed by cancer (18%), diabetes (9%) and lung disease (1%), with another 17% coming from other NCDs,” the report said.
Throwing light on NHS 2017-22, OBG Report says that in late 2015 the Supreme Council for Health (now disbanded and replaced with Ministry of Public Health) began drafting a second plan, NHS 2017-22. “Its themes include quality and access built on patient empowerment, an emphasis on preventing ill health, service integration and increased capacity in the public and private sectors.”
NHS Matters, the bi-monthly newspaper for the National Health Strategy Project Community, says in its September-October 2016 issue that planning and development for NHS 2017-22 continues in partnership with colleagues at the Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics (MDPS) who are compiling the National Development Strategy 2017-2022.
“The strategic framework will be based around three core aims including better health; better care and better value,” it adds. “NHS 2017-22 is being developed so that all strategy elements are aligned to one or more of those aims. We have been working with colleagues from the MDPS and World Bank to develop a framework whereby health policy considerations are included throughout the National Development Strategy.”
“The analysis will make the case for engaging with other government departments to ensure that health outcomes and patient experience are considered at all levels. The development of NHS 2017-22 will be undertaken in the spirit of cooperation and working together as a ‘single healthcare system’. NHS 2017-22 will prioritise the need for collaboration across organisations in the delivery of integrated care,” NHS Matters adds.
“It will ensure that investment of available funds are made to maximum effect. In addition, we can expect an increasing contribution of facilities, services and clinical care by the private sector to complement our work in the public sector,” it added.
Earlier, talking to media in June this year, Sheikh Dr Mohammed bin Hamad bin J Al Thani, Director of Public Health of the Ministry had said that under NHS 2017-22, they were planning to reduce accidents related to “occupational health and safety by 5% to 10%”.
He had said that around 90% of the goals of public health and those related to the occupational health and safety of National Health Strategy 2011-16 had been accomplished.
Separately at another event Sheikh Mohammed had said that the strategy would address health education of children, ophthalmology, oral health, obesity and non-communicable diseases for Sustainable Development Goals. "The major areas of NHS 2017-22 will be preventing obesity through promoting physical activity in the country, having premarital tests to prevent spread of diseases and ensuring 100% vaccination."
