Rheumatic Diseases in Qatar

Qatar, a high gross domestic product (GDP) country, is located in the Arabian Gulf with an estimated population of 2.7 million, the majority being young individuals from different expatriates. Governmental health institutes mainly drive the primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare systems: Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Sidra Medicine Hospital, and the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC). The private health sector has developed significantly. As of September 2025, there were eight private hospitals, over 200 privately owned polyclinics, and various clinics, laboratories, pharmacies, and medical facilities. The rheumatology service in Qatar was founded in 1982 and has since expanded in different aspects, including the clinical care services, physician training, and education and research activities. There are 20 full-time adult rheumatology consultants and senior consultants, two pediatric rheumatology senior consultants distributed across all government facilities, and six rheumatologists in the private sector. Due to significant ethnicity variations in Qatar, various rheumatic diseases ranging from simple to complex illnesses are observed. The majority of these patients are managed at HMC. Osteoporosis care and fracture liaison services are led by a dedicated team of rheumatologists, part of the rheumatology division of HMC hospitals. In this chapter, we will highlight the progression of rheumatology services in Qatar, starting with an introduction to the geographical and epidemiological data of Qatar’s population, followed by rheumatic disease management and diagnostics. Furthermore, we will discuss the rheumatology fellowship training program and elaborate on the most essential studies initiated and published by the rheumatology division at HMC.