How Qatar’s CSR Programs Can Help The Healthcare Sector In Pakistan

In the next few years, social media will become an even more powerful tool that consumers will aggressively use to influence business approaches and compel companies into greater social responsibility. Keeping the growing trend on the mind, business experts are now suggesting corporations to move towards a more sustainable practice of capitalism. How Qatar CSR Programs Can Help The Healthcare Sector In Pakistan.

CSR in Qatar:

The approach of Qatari organizations to social issues are changing. These organizations have traditionally supported underprivileged groups through philanthropy and donating money to charities. Keeping pace with the outside world they are now shifting their stance and increasingly addressing these issues through strategic sustainability and through their their CSR Programs.

Different people and organizations comprehend CSR in different ways. In the Middle East, the meaning of  CSR is fundamentally different from what it means in the West.  Here  CSR is being used to address social and economic issues which are perceived to be hindering development.

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In developed countries, CSR is generally viewed as a business program designed to appeal to strong consumer sentiment through initiatives aimed at environmental sustainability.In Qatar, CSR initiatives do not merely address social issues, but they also provide a return on investment (ROI) to the companies. Having said that, the ROI on CSR programs can be difficult to measure and, to be successful, companies are trying to build a long-term strategic plan for CSR.   

Qatar Chamber, the oldest chambers of commerce in the GCC countries strongly believes that social responsibility is a key pillar of the business environment. Therefore, constant efforts are made to support and encourage the social responsibility initiatives and programs which positively impacts  the social and humanitarian levels inside and outside the Qatari society.

Since the business sector is playing a leading role in development  process in any country, the Chamber has  acted to enhance a  clear strategy regarding the corporate social responsibility. The Chamber is also supporting many community events such as the blood donation campaigns, sports, and educational programs, besides taking part in religious and national events.

How Qatar’s CSR Program Can help Healthcare Sector In Pakistan:

Health is a priceless treasure of life. The one who is deprived of good health values it more than any materialistic thing in the world. It is for this reason, that Pak Qatar Family Takaful has been established and are trying their utmost to take care of public well being. They have developed the Group Term HealthCare Takaful scheme, which was designed to look after the public medical needs. It covers the hospitalization due to any reason, major medical expenses, maternity or childbirth as well as day to day medical needs.

Pak Qatar Family Takaful has a Hospital Care scheme that covers medical or hospitalization expenses incurred up to a specified limit as a result of illness, surgery or an accident. In addition to the above, it also covers expenses incurred for treatment outside the hospital or expenses that arise because of day care procedures.

They also provide Major Medical Care benefit that is meant to provide an extra cushion when a patient has to undergo costly medical treatment like major surgeries and prolonged hospitalizations.Pak Qatar Family Takaful also has a Maternity Care benefit that supports medical expenses incurred during childbirth and its complications like cesarean section, D&C, and D&E etc.

It accounts for the greatest number of deaths among women of reproductive age in developing countries, including Pakistan. WHO Global Health Observatory Data Repository  Current maternal mortality rate is 260/100,000 live births.

The report developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation – UNICEF, WHO and World Bank, says 66 infants died for every 1000 births in 2015 in Pakistan.This trend has been visible for the past several years with a marginal difference in percentages. 

Reports suggest, in the rural areas, there are  14 basic healthcare units (BHU) and two rural health-care centers (RHC) are in pathetic conditions. All rural health centers, except one that was upgraded last year, lack basic facilities and are in a shambles. There are no boundary walls, no electricity or clean drinking water. Health professionals are unwilling to work there because they have no incentive to do so, depriving an estimated 600,000 people of health care. Due to this, poor patients are forced to visit major public hospitals, which results in these establishments becoming overcrowded. 

Qatar Charity has inaugurated a medical center in Pakistan, to provide health services to thousands of patients who are in dire need of health care services. The center has been provided with modern medical equipment and a medical staff that works 24 hours. 

The first floor includes a patient waiting area, reception, and medical examination rooms, while the second floor includes gynaecological rooms and suites equipped with modern medical equipment in addition to a pharmacy and medical laboratory. The center’s equipment includes an X-ray machine, ultrasound machine, beds, obstetrics and gynaecology equipment, surgical instruments, and other necessary equipment.

Omar Hassan Al Hail, the Second Secretary of Qatar Embassy in Pakistan, said,” A Qatari philanthropist contributed to building this health center for the benefit of the people of this region, which has suffered from a shortage of health care services. Women, in particular, cannot go to hospitals for testing or treatment because of poverty. In response to these needs, Qatar Charity has established this centre, which is only a small part of the ongoing relief to provide humanitarian and development services in Pakistan.”  

No country is perfect. Besides government and political leaders, it’s the responsibility of the business sector as well to do the best to change the things we don’t like in society. The contribution of corporate sector is important because nothing in the world is as powerful as a business. That’s part of social responsibility, and everybody should do that in their own way.

Conclusion: 

Qatar with their positive approach to CSR has proved that the country is supporting the interests of health and community development in Pakistan. Qatar ranks among the highest in the world with a per capita income of well over $100,000 and an unemployment rate of 0.5% but that doesn’t imply that the country itself is free from all social issues or menace. Qatar can be an inspiring example for all as it is contributing to improving the quality of life for everyone inside the country and abroad making huge moves on the international scene. 

Businesses cannot be successful when the society around them collapse or are submerged under issues like poverty, poor health or unemployment etc. Business has come to believe that the solution to problems lies within their own resources, hence, the idea of CSR came to light. CSR  isn’t a temporary programme because it’s what corporate sectors are supposed to do every day, maximising positive impact and minimising the negative impact on the society.