Plastic surgery services are provided across multiple Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) facilities, including Hamad General Hospital, Al Wakra Hospital, Al Khor Hospital, Cuban Hospital, and Hazem Mebaireek Hospital.
Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s public health system remains unique in the region, offering the full range of aesthetic procedures. With continued investments in research, digital health, and medical education, the country’s healthcare system is set to advance further in line with Qatar National Vision 2030, according to a newly published research article.
Published in the latest edition of Qatar Medical Journal and titled, “From Modesty to Modernity: The Story of Plastic Surgery in Qatar,” the article highlights how the nation has progressed from a reliance on traditional remedies to a state-of-the-art, patient-centered healthcare system. It underscores that sustained investment in education, innovation, and infrastructure has enabled Qatar to achieve remarkable progress in just a few decades.
Written by Dr. Khalifa Al Alawi, Dr. Mohamed Badie Ahmed, Dr. Alreem Al-Khayarin, Dr. Abeer Alsherawi, and Dr. Habib Al Basti, the paper explores how plastic surgery has developed in parallel with Qatar’s broader healthcare evolution. “The development of plastic surgery services in Qatar mirrors the broader growth of the country’s healthcare system,” the authors note.
The study traces the journey from modest beginnings in the 1970s, when services were delivered by visiting specialists to the establishment of a dedicated plastic surgery department, the introduction of advanced burn care, and the launch of a residency program that now trains future generations of surgeons. Today, Qatar is recognised as a regional leader in reconstructive and aesthetic surgery, supported by both public and private healthcare providers.
At present plastic surgery services are provided across multiple Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) facilities, including Hamad General Hospital, Al Wakra Hospital, Al Khor Hospital, Cuban Hospital, and Hazem Mebaireek Hospital. Additionally, the department offers its services at the Ambulatory Care Centre (ACC) for the daycare major and minor procedures. Also Sidra Medicines specialises in advanced paediatric and craniofacial plastic surgery. Over the past decades, the scope of practice has expanded to include more specialised care, such as advanced hand and microsurgery, breast reconstruction, melanoma surgery, head and neck reconstruction, and lower limb reconstruction, among others.
The development of burn services stands out as a unique achievement. From early traditional seawater treatments, Qatar advanced to create its own internationally recognised burn care protocols, culminating in the establishment of a state-of-the-art unit at Al Wakra Hospital in 2014.
Qatar has also prioritised medical education. Alongside international partnerships such as Weill Cornell Medicine–Qatar and the College of Medicine at Qatar University, the country launched its own plastic surgery residency program in 2012. The program, now accredited internationally. The authors of the article emphasises that these achievements are part of a broader national vision: to ensure a healthcare system that is innovative, sustainable, and globally respected.
