Despite the changes, the Emir reiterated at a Cabinet of Ministers meeting on 27 January 2016 the importance of healthcare in Qatar.

Qatar's healthcare sector began developing in the 1950s and became more robust in 1978 when the Ministry of Health developed a comprehensive scheme for building a primary health care system to launch primary health care services through 9 health centres, covering different parts of the country, and capable of providing basic and essential health and medical services (preventive and curative).

The following year, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) was established as the premier non-profit health care provider managing 5 specialised hospitals and 24 primary health care centres - covering every area of medicine. Access to HMC was through the national health care card provided to all citizens and residents of Qatar.