New on-site medical facility offers primary healthcare, heat stress treatment and faster emergency response for frontline sanitation workforce
Qatar has expanded its efforts to strengthen occupational health by opening a dedicated medical clinic for more than 3,200 sanitation workers employed by the Ministry of Municipality’s General Cleanliness Department. The initiative brings primary healthcare services directly to employees and aims to improve worker wellbeing, faster medical access and workplace safety.
- New on-site medical facility offers primary healthcare, heat stress treatment and faster emergency response for frontline sanitation workforce
- On-site clinic provides primary healthcare and emergency coordination
- Initiative supports Qatar’s worker protection strategy
- Summer labour rules remain central to worker safety
- Why it matters for employers
The new clinic operates from the department’s premises and serves one of Qatar’s largest frontline workforces responsible for maintaining public cleanliness across the country. It reflects the country’s continued focus on improving healthcare access for workers, especially those performing physically demanding outdoor jobs.
On-site clinic provides primary healthcare and emergency coordination
The medical facility includes a reception area, waiting room, general practitioner, pharmacy and nursing services. Workers can also receive routine health assessments such as blood pressure checks, temperature monitoring and other vital examinations.
The clinic treats common illnesses, chronic health conditions and heat-related cases. However, medical teams immediately coordinate with Hamad Hospital and the Ministry of Public Health when workers require specialised emergency care.
Mohammed Faraj Al Kubaisi, Assistant Director of the General Cleanliness Department at the Ministry of Municipality, said the department established the clinic because of the size of its workforce and the need to provide healthcare directly at the workplace.
“We have around 3,200 workers, and therefore we saw the need to establish a health clinic to serve them and provide a healthy working environment at the worksite itself.”
The clinic currently operates in two daily shifts. As a result, workers across different schedules can access healthcare throughout the day.
Initiative supports Qatar’s worker protection strategy
Al Kubaisi said the clinic complies with Qatar’s health regulations and occupational safety standards. He added that the department also follows summer working hour regulations designed to protect outdoor workers from extreme temperatures.
“Work starts at 4am and finishes before the peak heat period begins, to protect workers’ health and prevent sunstroke.”
Furthermore, he described the clinic as the department’s first project of its kind. He noted that authorities could expand similar facilities in the future after conducting detailed assessments.
According to Al Kubaisi, investing in employee health benefits both workers and the wider community by improving service quality and maintaining high public cleanliness standards.
Summer labour rules remain central to worker safety
The clinic complements Qatar’s wider occupational health initiatives introduced during the summer season.
Earlier this year, the Ministry of Labour launched a nationwide heat stress awareness campaign in partnership with several public and private sector organisations. The campaign supports the implementation of Ministerial Decision No. 17 of 2021, which regulates outdoor working hours during the summer.
Under the regulation, employers must stop outdoor work between 10am and 3:30pm from June 1 to September 15 each year. The rule applies to open outdoor areas and shaded locations without adequate ventilation. Employers must also display daily work schedules clearly at outdoor worksites to improve compliance and transparency.
The awareness campaign involves the Ministry of Public Health, Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Public Works Authority (Ashghal), Qatar Charity, Qatar Red Crescent and several private sector organisations.
Why it matters for employers
The dedicated clinic demonstrates Qatar’s growing emphasis on preventive occupational healthcare. By providing medical services closer to employees, organisations can improve early treatment, reduce health risks and strengthen workforce productivity. Moreover, the initiative highlights how workplace wellbeing continues to become an important part of the country’s labour and employee safety framework.
