DOHA: About 700 Qatari females aged 12 years and above are receiving maternity, obstetrics, gynaecology and related healthcare services in phase 1 of the National Health Insurance Scheme launched by National Health Insurance Company (NHIC).
The services are being provided at HMC Women’s Hospital, Al Emadi Hospital, Al Ahli Hospital and Doha Clinic Hospital. The scheme’s network will be expanded to include Al Khor Hospital, Al Wakra Hospital, and Cuban Hospital. General and specialist clinics will also be included at later stages.
According to statistics for the first week (until July 24), participating hospitals and clinics received 183 inpatients and 505 outpatients.
The NHIC call centre has received over 500 enquiries. The NHIC also has information booths at each hospital in the current network to advise and educate Qatari women on benefits of the scheme. Access to the scheme has been kept simple. All Qatari females aged 12 and above are automatically enrolled as a result of joint work with the Ministry of Interior. All they need to do is show their Qatar ID to access services at their choice of provider from the network.
“The first week of the scheme has been successful in terms of in- and outpatient admissions and we are encouraged by the fact that Qatari women are taking advantage of greater choices when selecting their provider for their maternity, obstetric and gynaecological healthcare services,” said acting CEO of the NHIC and Assistant Secretary General for Policy Affairs at the Supreme Council of Health (SCH), Dr Faleh Mohamed Hussain Ali.
The Manager at Health Financing and Insurance at SCH, Husein Reka, added: “We will continue to expand the number of participating hospitals and clinics and we look forward to confirming these soon. Our hotline and public education booths have helped boost admissions and we encourage booking appointments by phone with providers where pre-booking of appointments is available.” The Peninsula
