Officials from Qatar and the United Kingdom recently convened a Joint Working Group meeting to strengthen bilateral collaboration in the healthcare sector. The session brought together representatives from Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) and the UK’s Department of Health and Social Care.
The Qatari delegation was led by Dr. Salih Ali Al Marri, Assistant Minister of Public Health for Health Affairs, while the UK side was headed by Fionn Craig, Deputy Director of Bilateral Relations and Trade at the Department of Health and Social Care.
The discussions focused on advancing cooperation in key areas such as antimicrobial resistance (AMR), artificial intelligence (AI) and healthcare data, supply chain resilience, and patient safety and quality of care.
Both sides shared national strategies and current initiatives related to antimicrobial resistance. The Qatari delegation presented updates on the country’s AMR priorities, its national programme to combat resistance, and efforts to enhance pharmaceutical security, including strategies for securing antibiotics. The UK side outlined its own priorities following the 2024 UN General Assembly Political Declaration on AMR and plans to establish an independent scientific committee to drive evidence-based responses.
The meeting also addressed digital transformation in healthcare, including Qatar’s Health Information Exchange Platform, digital workforce development, and partnerships with the private sector for implementing AI and digital health solutions. The UK shared insights on integrating AI in healthcare, regulatory and ethical considerations, and its ten-year plan to transition from paper-based to fully digital health systems.
Discussions also covered supply chain resilience, with Qatar outlining its national strategy for medical supply stability and the use of AI in supply chain management. Patient safety was another key focus, with Qatar presenting its national framework, current policy development, and ongoing capacity-building efforts in risk management and safety protocols.
Source: The Peninsula
