Doha: The Shura Council held its regular weekly session at Tamim bin Hamad Hall on Monday, under the chairpersonship of HE Speaker of the Shura Council Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim. During the session, the council reviewed the report of the Services and the Public Utilities Committee on the general discussion request submitted by a number of Their Excellencies Council members, in regard to delaying appointments in government health institutions. In the context of discussing the report, HE Speaker of the Shura Council hailed the remarkable development in the health sector, pointing out the wise leadership's keenness to develop this vital and important sector, which contributes to enhancing the well-being of citizens in accordance with the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030. He stressed that the council pays great attention to this sector because of its impact on the well-being of citizens, adding that it is the council's responsibility to address any shortcomings in this sector by cooperating with the est eemed government to find out the reasons for delaying medical appointments, which is something that the council addressed by interacting with citizens and learning about their concerns and problems. HE Speaker of the Shura Council pointed out the hosting of HE Minister of Public Health Dr. Hanan Mohammed Al Kuwari alongside several specialists from the ministry at the council's 28th session, to review the efforts made by the ministry to improve the services it provides to citizens, stressing that the council is a major supporter of such efforts. As the report was reviewed, HE Chairperson of the council's Services and the Public Utilities Committee Abdul Rahman bin Yousuf Al Khulaifi highlighted the meetings held by the committee with representatives of the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) and its affiliated institutions, to closely examine the reasons for delaying appointments in government health institutions. After extensive discussions based on the report's conclusions, the council decided to submit a p roposal to the government aimed at developing the appointment system in government health institutions. The proposal included several measures that would contribute to overcoming the problem of delaying medical appointments, developing the services provided to citizens, and providing high-quality service in accordance with the highest international practices and standards. The Shura Council's proposal focused on several axes, including the improvement of the automated system for medical appointments to give priority to citizens, and the commitment to specify an appropriate time for the appointment according to the medical condition and necessity, in addition to the provision of emergency services in primary care centers in external regions, such as the Hamad Hospital Emergency Center, and the consideration of the possibility of providing specific specialties. The proposal also called for filling the need for medical personnel, and finding an appropriate mechanism to limit the transfer of medical personnel from the government sector to the private sector. The proposal stressed the necessity of the presence of health insurance as a basic condition for renewal among the conditions for renewing foreigners' residency (except for domestic workers), with the aim of reducing pressure on clinics and hospitals affiliated with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC). The proposal also stressed the necessity of obtaining international health insurance - including private clinics and hospitals, among the conditions for granting tourist visas and family visas. The proposal also an emphasis on the need to find a mechanism for electronic linking of patient files between hospitals in the government sector and the private sector, especially in emergencies, so that the case can be addressed immediately to avoid deterioration of the patient's health condition. In addition to that, the proposal called for the need to find a mechanism for ambulance services for cases that do not require transfer to the emergency, to avoid exploiting the service for direct transfer to outpatient clinics to avoid delays in appointments. The proposal pointed out the importance of enabling and encouraging Qatari students to join medical specialties, and increasing Qatari administrative cadres working in hospitals and health centers, especially in reception and review services, while giving them training courses in dealing with the public. During the session, the council reviewed a draft law regulating district cooling services - which was referred to it by the esteemed government, and decided to refer it to its Services and the Public Utilities Committee for study before submitting a report in its regard to the council. The council also approved a draft law amending some provisions of the Qatar Financial Center Law promulgated by Law No. 7 of 2005, after reviewing the report of the council's Legal and Legislative Affairs Committee on it, and discussing the provisions of the draft law by Their Excellencies the members. On the other hand, the council reviewed the report on its delegation's participation in a number of meetings and conferences abroad, including the Parliamentary Conference on South-South Cooperation, which was held in February, in Rabat, Morocco, in addition to the virtual forum of the Arab Council for Creativity and Innovation, which was held in March on investing in women to accelerate the pace of progress, and the Abu Dhabi Session of the Parliamentary Conference on the World Trade Organization (PCWTO), held in February, in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Source: Qatar News Agency
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