Hanan Al Kuwari Named Qatar’s Minister of Public Health
Meet Hanan Al Kuwari, Qatar’s Minister of Public Health and Director-General of Hamad Medical Corporation. She was awarded the title of Best Minister in the World at the 7th edition of the Global Government Summit in 2024, in recognition of her inspiring achievements in the field of health and innovation.
Education and Scientific Background
Al Kuwari holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Healthcare Management, as well as a Ph.D. in Healthcare Management from Brunel University in the United Kingdom in 2002.
Career and Responsibilities
Hanan Al Kuwari has worked with the World Health Organization and Reuters News Agency, as well as contributing health articles for various publications. She joined Hamad Medical Corporation’s Women’s Hospital in 1996 and progressed through the ranks to become the Director-General in 2007.
Appointed as the Minister of Public Health in Qatar in January 2016, she is the second Qatari woman to hold this position and the fourth woman to be appointed as a minister in the country.
She has chaired several councils, including the International Advisory Council for Hamad Medical Institute, the International Advisory Council for the Academic Health System, and various committees within the Ministry of Public Health.
In October 2018, she was elected as an international member of the U.S. National Academy of Medicine.
Achievements
Under her leadership, Hamad Medical Corporation collaborated with Qatar Biobank in January 2023 to launch the first phase of a Human Tissue Biobank service for collecting, processing, storing, and distributing human tissue samples for research purposes.
She also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Qatar Red Crescent Society to fund and support future projects of Hamad Medical Corporation. In mid-2023, she was appointed as the Chair of the Executive Board of the World Health Organization to represent the Middle East for a 3-year term.
During her tenure, a World Health Organization office was opened in Qatar to support the national health goals and contribute to regional and global public health efforts. Qatar became the first country to have all its municipalities classified as “Healthy City” in 2022.
Leading a major digital health initiative to improve the health and quality of life of children and adolescents, she launched the “Genmoov” application aimed at promoting physical activity and enhancing health and quality of life for them.
Awards and Titles
- Qatar Today’s Outstanding Women Award in 2017.
- World Health Organization’s Director-General “Health Champions 2022” award.
- Ranked third among Forbes’ 50 Most Powerful Healthcare Leaders in the Middle East in 2022.
- Ranked eighth among the Top 100 Businesswomen in the Middle East by Forbes in 2023.
- Named Best Minister in the World at the Global Government Summit in Dubai on February 12, 2024.
What is the Best Minister in the World Award?
The Best Minister in the World Award is organized by the Global Government Summit Foundation in partnership with Price Water House Coopers Middle East. It aims to celebrate ministers with exceptional achievements who represent global government models in developing future opportunities, designing and implementing innovative solutions for global challenges, and building sustainable communities.
The Global Government Summit goals include highlighting outstanding government models to enhance knowledge exchange opportunities and inspire government officials worldwide. Each year, exemplary government models that drive successful projects and innovative government initiatives that achieve desired results with the highest efficiency and effectiveness are presented.
The evaluation and selection process for the Best Minister in the World Award goes through a multidimensional nominating mechanism, analyzing overall and partial levels to identify ministers who have made valuable contributions to social and economic sectors.
The nominated countries for the award are selected from the list of leading countries in four global social and economic indicators, including the Corruption Perceptions Index issued by Transparency International, Global Governance Indicators, Human Development Index, and Happiness Index.
Hanan Al Kuwari’s achievements reflect her dedication and innovation in the field of healthcare, earning her international recognition and accolades for her exceptional contributions to public health and government leadership.
