Guides / Health / Hospitals & emergencies
Complaining about a doctor, hospital or clinic in Qatar
How to raise a problem with a doctor, hospital, health centre or private clinic in Qatar: start with the facility, then take it to the Ministry of Public Health, and know when compensation needs a court case.
Last reviewed: 13 October 2026
- First stop
- The facility: HMC Nesma'ak 16060, PHCC Hayyak 107, or a private clinic's medical director
- Escalate to
- MOPH Fitness to Practice, through the Governmental Health Communication Center (GHCC)
- Appeal
- To the Minister of Public Health within 30 days of a sanction decision
- Compensation
- Only through the courts; claims generally within 3 years of knowing about the harm
Most problems with healthcare in Qatar can be sorted out by speaking up at the place where you were treated. If that does not work, the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) investigates complaints about the competence and conduct of doctors, nurses and other health workers, and can warn, restrict or suspend them. What the Ministry cannot do is award you money: compensation for harm needs a claim in the Qatari courts, usually with a lawyer. This guide walks you through the order that works best: stay safe, collect your evidence, complain to the facility, escalate to MOPH, and then decide whether a legal claim is worth it. Insurance claim disputes and problems with shop-style sales at pharmacies have their own routes, which we link to.
Before you start
- Your QID (or passport, if you are a visitor) and your health card or patient file number (MRN)
- The name of the facility, the department, and the date and time of each visit
- The full name of the doctor, nurse or other staff member involved (it is on prescriptions, reports and receipts)
- A short written timeline of what happened, made as soon as possible while you remember details
- Copies of prescriptions, test results, scans, discharge summaries, invoices and receipts
- Photos of visible injuries or problems, dated
- Names and phone numbers of anyone who was with you
- Any messages, emails or reference numbers from earlier contact with the facility
- A second medical opinion, if you were harmed or think the diagnosis was wrong
Step by step
Get safe care first
If you are still unwell or think a mistake is causing harm now, deal with that before any complaint. Go to an emergency department or call 999 for an ambulance if it is urgent. You have the right to ask for a second opinion, at the same facility or elsewhere. Tell the new doctor what treatment you had before, so they can check it. Their findings will also be useful evidence later.
Read guide: Emergencies in Qatar: who to call and where to go →Work out what kind of complaint it is
Complaints about care (wrong or late diagnosis, poor treatment, unsafe prescribing) or about behaviour (rudeness, treatment without consent, breach of privacy, refusing to give records, discrimination) go to the facility first and then to MOPH. If your insurer refused or underpaid a claim, follow the insurance route instead. If a pharmacy overcharged you or sold you a faulty product, that is a consumer complaint to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. If you want money for harm caused, you will need the courts, though you can complain to MOPH at the same time.
Read guide: Health insurance in Qatar: what residents and visitors need →Write it down and keep evidence
Write a clear timeline: dates, times, who you saw, what was said and done, and how it affected you. Keep every paper and digital record, including appointment messages and receipts. Do not throw away medicine boxes, devices or anything relevant. If you were injured, take dated photos. Short, factual notes are more convincing than angry ones, and they help whoever investigates.
Ask for a copy of your medical reports
Under the Patients' Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, you can ask for a copy of your medical reports, following the facility's own policy. Make the request in writing to the facility's medical records department and keep a copy of your request. Some facilities charge for reports or take a few working days, so ask about the fee and timing when you apply. Refusing to give you your records is itself something MOPH's Fitness to Practice team looks at.
Raise it with the facility
MOPH asks patients to try the facility first, and many issues are settled there. At a private hospital or clinic, ask to speak to the patient relations office or the medical director, explain what happened and say clearly why you are not satisfied and what you want (an explanation, an apology, a correction, a refund). Follow up a conversation with an email or letter so there is a record. Ask for a reference number and a date by which they will reply.
Hamad (HMC): use Nesma'ak
For Hamad Medical Corporation hospitals, the official feedback and complaints channel is Nesma'ak. Call 16060 (24 hours; from abroad +974 4406 6460), email nesmaak@hamad.qa, or use the Submit Feedback form on the Get in Touch page of hamad.qa. HMC also has help desks in its facilities, generally open 6am to 10pm and around the clock at the Hamad General Hospital emergency department. Nesma'ak logs your complaint, tracks it and coordinates the reply, and it can help in Arabic, English, Urdu and Malayalam.
Read guide: Seeing a specialist at Hamad: referrals, booking and changing HMC appointments →Health centres (PHCC): Hayyak 107 or Nar'aakom
For a Primary Health Care Corporation health centre, call the Hayyak helpline on 107 or go to the Nar'aakom customer service office at your health centre. Give your health card number, the centre, the date and the staff involved. PHCC says it logs each complaint and refers it for review. In the first half of 2026 it handled 3,163 complaints and closed 94% of them within 25 working days, so allow about a month before chasing.
Read guide: Get your health card (now linked to your QID) →Take it to the Ministry of Public Health
If the facility's answer does not satisfy you, complain to MOPH's Fitness to Practice (FTP) section in the Department of Healthcare Professions. Complaints are submitted through the Governmental Health Communication Center (GHCC), linked from the FTP complaints page on dhp.moph.gov.qa, and the FTP team can be emailed at FTP@moph.gov.qa. Attach your timeline, evidence and the facility's reply. By filing, you allow MOPH to get your medical file and contact every facility involved. FTP looks at competence, conduct, unlicensed or out-of-scope practice, and health workers whose own health affects their work.
Understand the outcome and how to appeal
MOPH may close a complaint with no action if it finds no error, misconduct or negligence, or if the complainant stops cooperating. Where it finds a problem, actions range from warnings and conditions on a licence to retraining, audits, suspension for up to 12 months, partial or full closure of a facility for up to 12 months, and cancelling a licence. For sanctions other than advice, admonishment or a verbal warning, you may appeal to the Minister of Public Health within 30 days of receiving the decision. MOPH does not award compensation or order refunds, and it does not handle cases already under court investigation.
Claim compensation through the courts
If you were harmed and want compensation for medical costs, lost income or suffering, you need a civil claim in court. Courts in Qatar usually appoint medical experts or a medical committee to say whether the care fell below accepted standards, and both the doctor and the hospital can be ordered to pay: in 2026 the Court of Cassation upheld a QAR 3 million award against a surgeon and hospital. Under the Civil Code, a claim for harm generally has to be brought within 3 years of when you learned of the harm and who caused it, and no later than 15 years after it happened. Speak to a lawyer early; do not sign a settlement before getting advice.
Read guide: Finding a lawyer and legal help in Qatar →Report serious cases to the police
Gross negligence that causes serious injury or death, and treatment by someone who is not licensed, can be criminal matters. You can report them at a police station, and the Public Prosecution decides whether to charge anyone. MOPH can also refer unlicensed practice for prosecution, so tell FTP as well. While a criminal case is still open, the time limit for a civil compensation claim based on it does not run out.
What it costs
| Complaint to the facility, HMC Nesma'ak, PHCC Hayyak or MOPH | No fee listed by MOPH, HMC or PHCC |
| Copies of medical reports | Set by each facility; ask when you request them |
| Lawyer and court fees for a compensation claim | Agreed with your lawyer; see Legal help and lawyers |
Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.
Common mistakes
- Going straight to MOPH or a lawyer without first giving the facility a chance, and without a written record of what you asked for
- Expecting MOPH to get you a refund or compensation: it disciplines practitioners and facilities, but money needs a court claim
- Not asking for your medical reports early, before staff move on or memories fade
- Writing long, angry complaints with no dates, names or clear request
- Missing the 30-day window to appeal a MOPH decision
- Waiting years to take legal advice: compensation claims generally have a 3-year limit from when you knew of the harm
- Posting the doctor's name and accusations on social media, which can lead to a defamation complaint against you in Qatar
- Sending insurance claim disputes to MOPH's Fitness to Practice team instead of the insurer route
Questions people ask
Can I complain if I am a visitor or my health card has expired?
Yes. MOPH's complaints process is about the standard of care and the behaviour of health workers, and it does not say you must hold a QID or a valid health card. Use your passport number and any patient file number the facility gave you. Your registration status may matter for fees, but not for whether your complaint is heard.
Will complaining affect my treatment or my visa?
Complaining about your care is a patient right under the Patients' Bill of Rights, and complaints are investigated by the facility or MOPH, not by immigration. If you are uncomfortable seeing the same doctor while it is looked at, ask the facility to book you with another doctor. Keep your tone factual and avoid public accusations.
Can the Ministry of Public Health make the hospital pay me compensation?
No. The Fitness to Practice page says MOPH does not award compensation or order refunds. It can sanction practitioners and facilities, and its findings may help you, but a claim for money must go to court. For a refund of fees, ask the facility directly first.
How long does a complaint take?
PHCC closed 94% of its complaints within 25 working days in the first half of 2026. HMC and MOPH do not publish a fixed timeline, so ask for a reference number and an expected reply date, and follow up in writing. Investigations into serious errors can take months because records and expert opinions are needed.
How do I get my medical records to show another doctor or a lawyer?
Ask the facility's medical records department in writing for copies of your medical reports; this is a right under the Patients' Bill of Rights, subject to the facility's policy. There may be a fee and a wait of a few days. If a facility refuses, that refusal can itself be reported to MOPH.
How long do I have to sue a doctor or hospital?
Under Article 219 of the Qatari Civil Code, a claim for harm generally expires 3 years after you knew about the harm and who caused it, and in any case 15 years after the event. If there is an open criminal case about the same act, the civil claim does not expire while it is pending. A lawyer can tell you how this applies to your facts.
Can I report a beauty or cosmetic clinic, or someone treating people at home without a licence?
Yes. Suspected unlicensed practice and practitioners working outside the scope of their licence are listed among the matters MOPH's Fitness to Practice team handles, and MOPH regularly closes clinics and suspends licences for this. Report it through GHCC with as much detail as you can, and go to the police if someone was hurt.
A doctor was rude or refused to see me. Is that worth reporting?
Yes. MOPH lists refusal to see a patient, discrimination and inappropriate behaviour as conduct issues it can investigate. Start with the facility's patient relations or Nesma'ak/Hayyak, since an apology or a different doctor is often the quickest fix. Escalate to MOPH if it is serious or keeps happening.
Official sources
- MOPH Department of Healthcare Professions – Fitness to Practice complaints ↗
- MOPH – Patients' Bill of Rights and Responsibilities (PDF) ↗
- Hamad Medical Corporation – Get in touch (Nesma'ak) ↗
- Qatar Tribune – PHCC handled 3,163 complaints in H1 2026 ↗
- Marhaba – Court orders doctor and hospital to pay QAR 3 million (2026) ↗
- QICDRC judgment (Nov 2025) quoting Civil Code Article 219 on time limits ↗
Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.