The Executive Board of the Health Ministers’ Council for GCC States has adopted Aspetar - Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital - as a reference collaborator.
The agreement was reached during a meeting of the Council held in Geneva recently on the sidelines of the World Health Organisation’s general assembly.  
As the first Sports Medicine Hospital to be adopted as a Gulf Reference Centre, Aspetar will be expected to provide scientific support, technical advice and guidance on research and training to the Executive Board.
Dr Khalifa al-Kuwari, CEO of Aspetar, said: “Aspetar is honoured to be considered a Gulf Reference Centre by the Health Ministers’ Council. We share many of the objectives for the region and look forward to working together along with the five other centres and the Health Ministers’ Council in integrating and realising our mutual vision.”
Dr Hakim Chalabi, acting chief medical officer and executive director of the National Sports Medicine Programme at Aspetar, said: “Aspetar is a world-class facility that accesses the latest investigative technology to ensure that our sports medicine care is truly multidisciplinary. We are very pleased that the GCC Executive Board has recognised the great strides we have made in advancing sports medicine in the region.”  
Aspetar was confirmed as a Gulf Reference Centre after fulfilling all the conditions pertaining to scientific and technical standards - locally and regionally - and its enhancement of health programmes in Qatar and the other GCC countries.
Dr Philippe Landreau, chief of surgery at Aspetar, said: “The hospital meets international standards in its treatment of orthopaedic problems and athletic injuries and uses established best practices and the latest technology to guide patients through rehabilitation to complete recovery.”
The Executive Board acknowledged the superior capabilities offered by Aspetar following the extensive modernisation that it recently underwent, with the addition of state-of-the-art equipment and highly trained technicians in order to conduct detailed research and training and provide advice while raising the bar in the fields of medicine and science across the Gulf region, a statement issued by Aspetar said.
Aspetar’s strategic objectives include a commitment to continuing its pursuit of a culture of excellence, building and sustaining a high-performance sports culture, providing leadership in the sphere of sports medicine and promoting a healthy lifestyle within the community, while ensuring that its strategy is guided by financial prudence, according to the statement.
The Health Ministers’ Council specifies the need for a financially independent hospital that enjoys a clear vision and a timetable that can accommodate various activities and programmes.