Qatar

January 9, 2007

Qatar, which has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, plans to introduce health insurance for all residents, a senior health official wrote in the Rasgas magazine.

We aim to cover everyone living in Qatar, whether national or non-national, Sheikha Ghalia Bint Mohamed al-Thani, chairwoman of the National Health Authority, wrote in December’s issue of the in-house magazine of the Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Co, or Rasgas.

Sheikha Ghalia was writing to commemorate the first anniversary of the authority, which was created to overhaul Qatar’s health system. The authority is in the final stages of obtaining government approval for the insurance system, Sheikha Ghalia said. She didn’t specify who will pay for the insurance. 

Qatari citizens don’t pay any fees for government services, including electricity and local fixed-line phone calls. National Health Authority has been given QR3.8bn for the fiscal year 2006-2007 ending March 31, including QR239mn to build hospitals and health centres, she said.

To develop a health-care system that is financially sustainable in the long term, health insurance is a necessity, she wrote in the magazine. 

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