Issue 8
DR. ABDULLATIF AL KHAL
Facing the
COVID-19 puzzle
Dr. Abdullatif Al Khal, one of Qatar’s leading experts in
infectious diseases, describes how the country’s world-class
healthcare system has helped them achieve one of the lowest
death rates in the world.
“
Studying microbes and the spectrum of diseases
they can cause is a bit like solving a puzzle – when
you find the solution you can impact on so many
lives,” says Dr. Abdullatif Al Khal, Chair of the National
Strategic Group on COVID-19, Head of the Infectious
Diseases Division at Hamad Medical Corporation
(HMC), and Director of the HMC’s Department of
Medical Education.
However, he believes he’s in the perfect place to do
just that. “There’s been no greater time to be working
in Qatar’s healthcare sector,” Dr. Al Khal explains.
Dr. Al Khal watched as Qatar’s healthcare system
quickly adapted to the pandemic and made changes
to long-standing practices with ease.
“Myself and my colleagues across the healthcare
system have been working tirelessly to ensure
measures are in place to limit the spread of the virus
and provide high-quality care for those people who
need it,” Dr. Al Khal says. “But in times of pressure the
true character of people comes through and I am
immensely proud of everyone who has risen to the
challenge.”
Dr. Al Khal credits three key areas of Qatar’s strategy
that has allowed for the country to have one of the
lowest death rates from COVID-19 in the world. He
firstly cites Qatar’s significantly expanded hospital
capacity, which included tripling its intensive care
capacity.
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