DOHA: The number of people visiting primary health centres in Qatar is relatively lower than that of people visiting a hospital or private clinics, according to a survey.
A YouGov survey found that 48 percent people visit a public hospital but only 29 percent of them go to a primary health centre; 32 percent of patients go to a private hospital and 30 percent of them visit a private clinic.
The majority of visits to PHCC health centres are for non-specified health needs, the survey revealed.
The National Primary Healthcare Strategy 2013-2018, which was launched yesterday, says that it aims to change this significant imbalance in the healthcare system.
However, the strategy says the number of patients visiting primary health centres has increased from 1.9 million to over 3.6 million from 2001 to 2011.
It also shows that women require more healthcare than men, mainly because of pregnancy and childbirth. But the country has fewer women than men; in 2010, 75.6 percent of the population was male, 40 percent of them single.
In 2010, the population of Qatar was 1.7 million and it is expected to increase to 2.2 million by 2022. To meet the demand which could be created by this huge increase in population, the Primary Health Care Corporation is preparing to increase its budget from QR1.8bn this year to QR3.8bn in 2017 and then to QR4.1bn in 2022, reveals the Strategy. The Peninsula
