Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Public Health announced electronic integration of licensing procedures for health facility construction with the Ministry of Municipality’s Building Permit System.
Hanan Al Shamlan, Acting Director of the Health Facilities Department at the Ministry of Public Health, affirmed that to enhance efficiency and integration among the relevant authorities, investors can now submit an application for the approval of engineering drawings for healthcare facilities electronically through the Building Permit System. Previously, investors were required to submit such an application in person by visiting the Health Facilities Department.
The Acting Director of the Health Facilities Department explained that obtaining a licence for a healthcare facility involves three stages: facility registration, preliminary evaluation, and final evaluation.
Al Shamlan noted that once registration is complete and the preliminary approval letter for the activity has been obtained, investors can submit applications for the approval of engineering drawings for healthcare facilities via the Building Permit System. Authorised engineers review the drawings, provide comments, and approve them via the system, thereby contributing to faster procedures and facilitating coordination among all relevant authorities within a single integrated platform.
She added: “Following the completion of the preliminary evaluation stage, the process moves on to the final evaluation stage, leading to the issuance of the healthcare facility licence.”
In this context, the Ministry of Public Health, in cooperation with the Ministry of Municipality, organised a specialised training workshop on the Electronic Building Permit System for healthcare facilities, targeting staff of the Health Facilities Department. The workshop included practical demonstrations of the system, an overview of how to access it, and guidance on using the various authorisations in line with each employee’s responsibilities. It also clarified the specific timeframes for each application type, ensuring that procedures are completed through a fully integrated electronic system without the need for paper transactions.
The Building Permit System includes all transactions and procedures related to the construction sector and serves as the primary gateway for issuing building permits in the State of Qatar. It brings together the relevant authorities whose approvals are required and provides a unified platform for consultants and property owners to complete building permit transactions electronically.
The Health Facilities Department at the Ministry of Public Health plays a fundamental role in regulating and delivering healthcare services in the State of Qatar. This is achieved by granting and renewing licences for healthcare facilities and by establishing, developing, and implementing licensing requirements beginning with registration procedures, through the approval of engineering plans, and culminating in the issuance of the final licence. These processes are carried out in line with national legislation and international best practices, alongside field inspections and oversight of all healthcare institutions across the country.
