IPHCC highlights Qatar’s advances in primary healthcare innovation

Doha, Qatar: The 6th International Primary Health Care Conference (IPHCC) opened yesterday, highlighting Qatar’s rapidly advancing healthcare system and its ability to turn ambitious national visions into measurable progress, placing the country at the forefront of primary healthcare innovation.

The three-day conference, organised by the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) under the theme “Inspiring Tomorrow: The Power of Collaboration in Primary Health Care,” opened in the presence of  Minister of Public Health H E Mansoor bin Ebrahim bin Saad Al Mahmoud.

Nearly a thousand experts, doctors, researchers and specialists are participating, making IPHCC one of the most prominent scientific gatherings.

In her opening remarks, PHCC Managing Director Dr. Mariam Abdulmalik highlighted the critical role of primary healthcare in shaping Qatar’s health achievements. “The well-being of our communities depends on the strength of the national healthcare system, starting with primary healthcare and its ability to provide universal health coverage for all,” she said.

Dr. Abdulmalik emphasised that Qatar’s progress in healthcare is a product of readiness, innovation and sustained national commitment.

PHCC Managing Director Dr. Mariam Abdulmalik

“We in Qatar enjoy an advanced healthcare system, and it has become our responsibility to be ready to shape change in our society rather than wait for it,” she said, adding that patient satisfaction with PHCC services has reached 80%, calling it “a testament to the impact of our collective efforts to advance primary healthcare.”

Dr. Abdulmalik reaffirmed that primary healthcare in Qatar now stands as a benchmark beyond the region.

“Primary healthcare in Qatar has become a regional and global model, thanks to the strong support the sector receives and the commitment to empowering people and providing an integrated health system that meets preventive, therapeutic, and rehabilitative needs for all residents,” she said.

On the sidelines of the conference, an  exhibition displays the latest medical innovations and health technologies for healthcare professionals, students, and those seeking to expand their scientific and practical skills.

H E Mansoor bin Ebrahim bin Saad Al Mahmoud, Dr. Mariam Abdulmalik and other dignitaries toured the exhibition, engaging with companies and institutions presenting cutting-edge healthcare innovations.

The conference covers a wide range of key topics including translating research into primary care practice, the use of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, sustaining quality and safety in primary health systems, healthcare ethics and law, interprofessional collaboration, preventive care, employee health and wellbeing, primary care for priority populations, and the role of complementary and alternative medicine. 

Professor Lord Ara Darzi, Co-Director of Imperial College London and Executive Chair of the World Innovation Summit for Health  

Delivering the keynote address, Professor Lord Ara Darzi, Co-Director of Imperial College London and Executive Chair of the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), praised Qatar’s decisive progress. “Qatar doesn’t just plan, it builds, transforming vision into verifiable reality,” he said. “This nation is a model for the world, demonstrating what is possible when visionary leadership aligns with unwavering purpose.”

Highlighting global pressures on health systems, Lord Ara Darzi talked about the rising burden of chronic disease and projected global workforce shortages. However, he stressed Qatar’s unique readiness to lead the shift toward predictive, personalised and digitally-enabled healthcare. “The question is no longer whether we can transform, but how quickly. Qatar, with its visionary leadership and agility, is poised to lead in that way,” he said.

Lord Darzi outlined seven innovation pathways from genetic intelligence and population genomics to precision robotics that will shape the clinic of 2035. He emphasised that primary care must evolve into the “central nervous system” of modern health systems.

“Our purpose is to ensure every life is not just sustained but optimised, not just lengthened but dignified, not just surviving but truly flourishing,” he said.

Over three days, the conference features advanced primary healthcare topics through expert-led panels and workshops, while also giving researchers a platform to share new, practice-enhancing studies.