JEDDAH – Qatar's Minister of Health Dr. Hanan Al Kuwari met with top officials of Abeer Group in Doha recently. During the meeting, Dr. Al Kuwari welcomed the group and assured the group all assistance from the ministry. On his part, Mohammed Alungal, president of the group, spoke about the Abeer Group's interest in being a major player in the healthcare service sector in Qatar. From a modest beginning in 1999, Abeer Group has evolved into a world class health care group with facilities across the Kingdom and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states — Qatar and the UAE. Abeer facilities in Oman and Kuwait are also being set up. The Group is operating in India and is building Edu city — A multibillion rupee project ranging from primary to a fully pledged medical college along with all allied facilities and an Ayuvedic center that will cater to people both within India and those from abroad. Abeer will soon start building a state-of-the-art hospital with the latest technology, Alungal confirmed adding that he is proud to participate in Qatar's National Health Vision 2020. He thanked the minister and her team for the support being extended to his group. Speaking to Saudi Gazete, Alungal said that Abeer Group signed Thursday a partnership agreement with Al-Atiyyah Group to establish a joint venture company in the healthcare sector. Hamad Al-Atiyyah, chairman of the group, represented it in signing the deal. Earlier, a memorandum of Understanding was signed between the two groups. According to the new agreement, a joint venture company will be registered for establishing a 200-bed hospital project, which will be operational within two years. For this, land is to be allotted by the government. The procedures are under way for this. "Minister Al Kuwairi invited us for discussing about the project and its formalities," he said. The hospital is supposed to be constructed either in Al-Julail, one of the venues of World Cup or in Umm Sulail, according to Dr. Jemshith Ahmed, vice president of the group for planning. He told Saudi Gazette that work is progressing well to open a Women's Wellness Hospital in Qatar next year. "The 25-bed hospital is exclusively for women with all the major departments. A building has already been rented for the purpose," he said, adding that Abeer has been running a polyclinic in Doha since two years. Ahmed said that the first Abeer hospital in UAE will be opened in Abu Dhabi. Abeer Group took over the 40-year-old Al-Raha Hospital and started its expansion. The first expansion phase will be completed in May 2017 and the second expansion in 2018. By this time, the hospital will have 150 beds. The project has won the approval of the Health Authority of Abu Dhabi. The new logo of Abeer Group will be launched in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 22 on the sidelines of the Recruitment Fair, which will run from 22 to 24 as part of the annual Arab Health Conference. Abeer Group is the gold sponsor of the fair. Recruitment of staffers for all facilities of the group will be made at the fair. Ahmed said preparations are under way to open a women and children specialty hospital in UAE. A building of Mubadala, a government owned company, has been leased for the purpose. The 30-bed hospital will be operational by next April. There are also efforts to expand the group hospitals and clinics to other emirates of UAE. Ahmed said a 100-bed hospital will be opened in Oman. Works are progressing well for the hospital in Ruwi in Muscat. This will be the largest private hospital in the sultanate. A polyclinic in Kuwait will be opened in Farwaniyah this year, he added.
