The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), in cooperation with the Middle East regional office of the World Health Organization (WHO, organized a workshop on the 2005 International Health Regulations.
Held at Itqan Centre in Hamad Medical City, the three-day workshop gathered 138 participants from MOPH, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) and other related government bodies. The participants came from different related disciplines including the fields of monitoring and responding to communicable diseases, medical laboratories, vaccination, pharmaceuticals, supply&logistics, infection control, antimicrobial resistance, risk communication, planning, finance, human resources, and emergency preparedness and response.
Director of the Health Emergency Department at the MOPH Dr. Soha Al Bayat said that the joint external evaluation is part of the monitoring and evaluation framework for the 2005 International Health Regulations, and represents a voluntary, multi-sectoral process to evaluate the countrys ability to prevent, monitor and respond to public health risks.
She explained that the joint external evaluation process allows countries to identify the most demanding needs and opportunities, within the framework of the health security system, to enhance emergency preparedness, monitoring and response, through consensus on national priorities, in order to develop and update the national action plan for health security with the allocation of the required resources.
Dr. Al Bayat added that the State of Qatar, like other countries in the world, faced many challenges during previous years, especially with the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, through the successful holding of the FIFIA World Cup Qatar 2022.
She added that Qatar, like any other country, constantly needs initiatives and best practices to ensure effective preparedness and management of any type of emergency that may occur, and to commit to the process of continuous development of capabilities and competencies in order to optimally prepare for emergency situations and raise the ability of health systems to withstand and respond to any type of emergency.
The purpose of the International Health Regulations 2005 is to prevent, protect against, control and respond to the international spread of diseases by taking public health measures proportionate to the potential risks.
Source: Qatar News Agency