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Getting treated at Sidra Medicine: referrals, appointments and costs

How to get seen at Sidra Medicine, Qatar's hospital for children, young people and women: who needs a referral, how booking works, what you will pay and where to go in an emergency.

Last reviewed: 13 October 2026

Who it treats: Children and young people 0 to 18, and women (pregnancy, gynaecology, women's mental health)
How to get in: Children: electronic referral from a doctor. Women: self-referral allowed
Main number: 4003 3333 (appointments and referral centre)
Cost: Charged privately or to insurance, except sole-provider specialist care at the public co-payment

Sidra Medicine in Al Luqta, Doha, is a specialist hospital for women, children and young people up to 18. It is not your family doctor: most children reach Sidra through a referral from a PHCC health centre, Hamad (HMC), a private clinic or sometimes a school nurse, while women's services also take self-referrals. Sidra describes itself as a private hospital that charges for its clinical services, but for specialist care that only Sidra provides in Qatar it collects just the usual public co-payment, so what you pay depends on how you got there and what the care is. This guide goes in order: checking Sidra is the right place, getting a referral or self-referring, the scheduler's call, the app, costs, the day of the visit, changes and follow-up, and emergencies. Pregnancy and birth are covered in our having-a-baby guide, so this one only points to them.

Before you start

Your Qatar ID (QID) or passport, and your child's QID, passport or birth certificate
A valid health card if you have one, and your health insurance card
A debit or credit card: Sidra is cashless and takes cards only
For obstetrics or IVF appointments: your marriage certificate or other proof of marriage
For a child: a parent or legal guardian must come; bring a copy of the guardian's or sponsor's passport (custody papers for orphans)
The referral details from your doctor (date, clinic referred to) and any earlier reports, scans and the list of current medicines
A Qatari mobile number that you answer: Sidra's schedulers call you to give the appointment

Step by step

Check that Sidra is the right place
Sidra treats children and young people from birth to 18 and women (obstetrics, gynaecology, maternal-foetal medicine, women's mental health). It does not treat men, and it is a tertiary hospital: it takes complex cases, not everyday coughs and check-ups. For routine care your first stop is still your PHCC health centre or a private GP. If a referral does not meet Sidra's criteria, Sidra may send it back to PHCC or HMC, or offer to see you as a paying or insured patient.
Read guide: Get your health card (now linked to your QID) →
Get your papers and cover in order
Before anything else, make sure your QID (and your child's) is valid and your health card is in date, because both are checked at registration. If you have private insurance, check whether your plan has direct billing with Sidra; Sidra lists AlKoot, QLM, GlobeMed and a few international administrators as partners. Plans outside the network are still accepted, but you may pay first and claim back. A quick call to your insurer now saves surprises at the cashier.
Read guide: Health insurance in Qatar: what residents and visitors need →
For a child: ask your doctor for a referral
Ask your PHCC doctor, HMC doctor or private paediatrician to refer your child to the right Sidra clinic. Sidra accepts electronic referrals only: paper letters are no longer accepted, and private clinics must send them through Sidra's online referral form or app. Ask the doctor which clinic they referred to and on what date, so you can chase it later. The referral is then triaged by Sidra's clinical team, which decides how soon your child needs to be seen.
Read guide: Seeing a specialist at Hamad: referrals, booking and changing HMC appointments →
For women: refer yourself if you wish
Women's services accept self-referrals, so you do not need a doctor's letter for obstetrics, gynaecology or maternal-foetal medicine. Call the Women's Care Coordination Team on 4003 7113 (Sunday to Thursday, 7am to 3pm) or use the women's booking form on Sidra's website. For perinatal mental health, call 4003 3333 and ask for the Women's Wellbeing Clinic. Maternity and gynaecology at Sidra are charged, so ask for prices or check your insurance first; antenatal care and the birth itself are explained in our having-a-baby guide.
Read guide: Having a baby in Qatar: antenatal care, hospitals and costs →
Or book as a paying or insured patient
If you have insurance or are happy to pay, you can ask for a paediatric appointment directly through the paediatric booking form or by calling 4003 3333. Sidra runs evening paediatric clinics Sunday to Thursday from 3pm to 8pm, which have long served families who pay privately or through insurance. Ask the Financial Counsellor (4003 0899, 7am to 7pm, financialcounseling@sidra.org) for an estimate before you agree. This route can be quicker, but it is not covered by the public co-payment.
Wait for the scheduler's call and chase it if needed
Once a referral arrives and is triaged, a Sidra scheduler calls you to confirm the date and explain the next steps. Sidra does not publish a fixed waiting time; it depends on the clinic and how urgent the case is. Answer unknown numbers during this period. If you hear nothing after a few weeks, call 4003 3333 and ask for the referral centre, giving your child's QID and the referring doctor's details; your doctor can also contact physicianconnect@sidra.org.
Set up the Sidra Medicine app
Sidra's newer app (iPhone and Android) lets you sign in with your QID and a PIN, see and change upcoming appointments, request new ones, follow referral status, view lab and radiology results, pay bills and download invoices. Parents can manage eligible children under one account. The older HealtheLife portal is still offered: you get an email invitation from noreply@iqhealth.com after a clinic visit. Using the app means fewer phone calls and an easy record of every visit.
Know what you will pay before the visit
Sidra is a private hospital and charges for clinical services. The exception is specialist care that only Sidra provides in Qatar: for those services it collects only the usual public co-payment. Urgent care, private evening clinics, women's urgent care and obstetric triage are charged, and visitors without a Qatar residence permit always pay. Payment is by debit or credit card only, and insured patients outside the direct-billing network get an itemised statement to claim from their insurer. When unsure, ask the Financial Counsellor for a written estimate.
Go to the appointment prepared
Sidra is at Zone 51, Street 2309 (Al Luqta Street), Building 40. Arrive early: Sidra's pages ask for 15 to 30 minutes before the time to register, and if you are 15 minutes late you may be moved to the end of clinic, given another doctor or rescheduled. Children are not seen without a parent or legal guardian. Bring the documents in the list above, and leave food, large toys, balloons and electrical items at home if your child may be admitted.
Reschedule, cancel and book follow-ups
If you cannot make it, change the appointment in the app or call 4003 3333 (for women's clinics, ask for the Women's Care Coordination Team). Doing it early gives the slot to another family and avoids a wasted referral. Before you leave each visit, book the follow-up at the clinic desk. If the doctor orders tests or a report for school or your employer, ask how and when you will receive it.
Read guide: Sick leave in Qatar: how many days, how it's paid, and the certificate →
Know where to go in an emergency
For a life-threatening emergency, call 999. Sidra's Children's Emergency Department is open 24/7 for children up to 18 and takes walk-ins without a referral; children 14 and over with limb fractures may be sent to HMC. Less serious problems such as fever, colds, ear infections and rashes go to Sidra's Urgent Care Clinic (8am to midnight daily), which is chargeable, or to a PHCC paediatric urgent care centre. Pregnant women under 20 weeks go to Women's Urgent Care, and over 20 weeks to Obstetric Triage; both are charged (questions: 4003 1401 or 4003 1402).
Read guide: Emergencies in Qatar: who to call and where to go →
Keep records and connect other services
Download results and reports from the app so you can share them with schools, therapists or a new doctor. If your child needs special-education support or a school place after a diagnosis, see our special-needs schools guide. Keep vaccinations up to date at PHCC, and for mental-health care outside Sidra see our mental-health support guide. If you are unhappy with your care, raise it with Sidra first and then follow the medical complaints route.
Read guide: Special needs schooling in Qatar: assessments, inclusion and specialist schools →

What it costs

Specialist care only Sidra provides in Qatar (with a public referral)	Usual public co-payment only (ask Sidra for the amount)
Children's or women's urgent care, obstetric triage, private evening clinics	Charged; fee given at triage or by the Financial Counsellor
Cost estimate from the Financial Counsellor	Free to ask: 4003 0899
Visitors without a Qatar residence permit	Full charges, paid at the time of service

Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.

Common mistakes

Bringing a paper referral letter: Sidra accepts electronic referrals only, so ask the doctor to send it online.
Missing the scheduler's call because you ignore unknown numbers, then waiting weeks without chasing.
Assuming the health card makes everything free: Sidra charges for most services, and only sole-provider specialist care is at the public co-payment.
Taking a child with a cold or mild fever to Sidra's emergency department and being directed to the paid urgent care clinic.
Arriving late: 15 minutes late can mean waiting until the end of clinic or being rescheduled.
Forgetting the marriage certificate for obstetrics or IVF appointments, or sending a child with a relative who is not the parent or legal guardian.
Trying to pay in cash: Sidra takes debit and credit cards only.

Questions people ask

Can I take my child to Sidra without a referral?

For outpatient clinics, children normally need an electronic referral from PHCC, HMC, a private doctor or sometimes a school nurse. You can also ask to be seen as a paying or insured patient, subject to availability. The Children's Emergency Department takes walk-ins without a referral.

Is Sidra free with a health card?

Not generally. Sidra says it is a private hospital and charges for clinical services, but for specialist services that only Sidra offers in Qatar it collects only the usual public co-payment. Urgent care and women's services are charged. Ask the Financial Counsellor (4003 0899) what applies to your case.

Can adults or men be treated at Sidra?

Sidra treats children and young people up to 18 and women. Men are not treated as patients, and adult women are seen for pregnancy, gynaecology and related care. For everything else, use PHCC, HMC or a private hospital.

Does Sidra accept my insurance?

Sidra has direct billing with several insurers, including AlKoot, QLM and GlobeMed, and accepts plans outside its network too. If your plan is not direct-billed, you pay by card and claim back using the itemised statement. Always confirm cover with your insurer before the visit.

My child was referred weeks ago and nobody has called. What should I do?

Call 4003 3333 and ask for the referral centre with your child's QID and the referring doctor's name. Check the referral status in the Sidra Medicine app if you have it. Your doctor can also contact physicianconnect@sidra.org. Keep your phone on, as schedulers call to book.

Is the children's emergency department at Sidra charged?

Genuine emergencies are seen in the Children's Emergency Department, which is open to the public 24/7. If triage finds the problem is urgent but not an emergency, you can choose the chargeable Urgent Care Clinic or go elsewhere, such as a PHCC paediatric urgent care centre. You are told about fees at triage.

Can I deliver my baby at Sidra?

Yes, women can self-refer to Sidra's obstetrics service, but maternity care there is charged privately or through insurance. Check your insurance's maternity cover and waiting period first. Our having-a-baby guide compares Sidra with the public route through PHCC and HMC.

We are visiting Qatar. Can my child be treated at Sidra?

Yes, but visitors without a Qatar residence permit pay for care. If you have travel insurance you pay at the time of service and get an itemised statement to claim back. International patients can contact Global Patient Services on 4003 1200.

Official sources

Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.

Getting treated at Sidra Medicine: referrals, appointments and costs

Before you start

Step by step

Check that Sidra is the right place

Get your papers and cover in order

For a child: ask your doctor for a referral

For women: refer yourself if you wish

Or book as a paying or insured patient

Wait for the scheduler's call and chase it if needed

Set up the Sidra Medicine app

Know what you will pay before the visit

Go to the appointment prepared

Reschedule, cancel and book follow-ups

Know where to go in an emergency

Keep records and connect other services

What it costs

Common mistakes

Questions people ask

Official sources

Related guides