Doha: The Advisory Council has called upon the country’s Cabinet to give directives to the Supreme Council of Health (SCH) to annul its decision to phase out by 2013 all clinics in Qatar run by general practitioners.
In its ordinary session on Monday, the Council voted with an overwhelming majority in favour of a report prepared by its General Service and Public Utilities Committee on this issue and sent its recommendations to the government.
The committee concluded that the decision of the Medical Licensing Department at the SCH to completely phase out all private clinics run by general practitioners by July 2013 was unjustified and could increase the pressure on the public healthcare facilities.
Mohammed bin Mubarak al Khulaifi, the Advisory Council spokesman, noted that with the population of Qatar growing rapidly, more private clinics should be established.
The Advisory Council has pointed out that the SCH has mechanisms in place to monitor private clinics and hospitals.