Primary Health Care Corporation
Qatar's primary care network. PHCC's 31 health centres and the Nar'aakom app handle family medicine, medical fitness certificates, vaccinations and the daily front door to public healthcare.
On this page
Launched
PHCC 2012; Nar'aakom app {year}-2
Operator
Primary Health Care Corporation (Qatar)
Cost
Subsidised for residents; free for citizens and GCC nationals
Languages
Arabic, English
Overview
Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) is Qatar's primary care provider, running 31 health centres across the country by {year}. PHCC delivers family medicine, paediatrics, women's health, dental care, vaccination, mental health screening, and the Medical Commission service line that issues fitness certificates for visa residency, school enrolment, sports, travel and Hajj. For residents and citizens PHCC is the default first contact for any non-emergency health need; the standard pattern is PHCC for routine care, PHCC referral for specialist care at HMC. The Nar'aakom mobile app on iOS and Android is the daily patient channel for appointment booking, health card renewal, dependant management and physician selection.
Appointments through Nar'aakom are direct - unlike HMC's Lbaih, Nar'aakom does support new appointment booking with your assigned PHCC family physician. Walk-in is also available at most family medicine clinics in the morning and evening, particularly for febrile illness, minor injury and acute issues. Appointment-only access is required for the Medical Commission services (visa fitness, Hajj fitness, sports medicine, school health), for some women's health services, and for certain specialist outreach clinics that PHCC runs in partnership with HMC. The Nar'aakom app login uses Tawtheeq (QID and Qatari SIM OTP). Children and dependants are accessed through the dependant linkage from the primary account holder.
The Medical Commission is the highest-volume service residents engage with. The visa medical fitness certificate is mandatory for first-time residency, renewal in some categories and for certain professions. The Hajj medical fitness certificate is mandatory for any resident or citizen intending to perform Hajj, and PHCC is the sole authorised issuer in Qatar. The certificate confirms vaccination status (meningitis ACWY required, seasonal influenza recommended), general fitness, blood pressure and cardiac screening, and any condition-specific clearance the pilgrim needs. The Hajj certificate window typically opens in autumn for the following spring's pilgrimage; the {year} cycle followed the same pattern with applications accepted through October.
Health card services are integrated with PHCC even though the card is technically the Hamad Health Card issued by HMC's registration system. Nar'aakom handles renewal, displays expiry status, and supports the digital health card view that replaces the physical card at the desk from April {year}. The same record covers PHCC and HMC visits. Renewal cost QAR 100 a year for adults, QAR 50 for children. Citizens and GCC nationals at no cost; expatriate residents at subsidised rates. The MOPH-mandatory health insurance for residents pairs with the health card for billing at PHCC and HMC.
PHCC's interaction with the rest of Qatar government is dense. The visa medical fitness certificate feeds into the MOI residency-side flow through Metrash and the MOI portal. The Hajj certificate feeds into the Ministry of Awqaf's Hajj registration. The school medical certificate feeds into the Ministry of Education's school enrolment system. The driving licence medical clearance for certain age groups feeds into MOI traffic. The clean pattern is: PHCC for the clinical assessment, the cross-government system for the downstream use. Hukoomi at hukoomi.gov.qa wraps the PHCC-to-MOI workflows in a single cross-ministry view. Metrash shows the active health card and MOPH insurance status that PHCC reads at the desk.
What broke and what changed in {year}: from April {year} residents present QID instead of the physical health card at PHCC and HMC desks; Nar'aakom added the dependant module to manage children and elderly relatives under the primary account; the Medical Commission appointment system was streamlined to cut the visa fitness queue from 2 to 4 weeks (previous cycle) to typically under 10 working days; the Hajj fitness certificate window opened on time for the {year} pilgrimage; the mental health screening was added to the Nar'aakom symptom-checker as a first-line triage tool. Walk-in at family medicine clinics continues to be the default for acute issues; the dependant module made it easier to bring a child in without re-registration.
PHCC's catchment system assigns each resident to a designated health centre based on registered address. The assigned centre is the one where the routine record sits, the family physician is allocated, and most cost-free services are delivered. Residents can switch the assigned centre through Nar'aakom (typically when they move home) but the switch takes 7 to 14 days for the records to migrate. Walk-in is accepted at any PHCC centre regardless of assignment but the family-medicine continuity benefit is best when the visit is at the assigned centre. For non-Qatari nationals on a tourist visa, PHCC accepts walk-in for acute care but at unsubsidised rates. See our Qatar country guide for the broader healthcare context.
Services offered
Family Physician Appointments (Nar'aakom)
Book, reschedule and cancel appointments with the assigned PHCC family physician through Nar'aakom. Walk-in available at most family medicine clinics morning and evening for febrile illness, acute issues and minor injury. The dependant module manages children and elderly relatives.
Medical Commission - Visa Fitness Certificate
Visa medical fitness certificate for residency, certain professions and school enrolment. Includes chest X-ray, blood test (HIV, hepatitis, syphilis), general examination. Queue cut from 2 to 4 weeks (previous cycle) to typically under 10 working days in {year}.
Hajj Medical Fitness Certificate
PHCC is the sole authorised issuer of Hajj medical fitness certificates in Qatar. Confirms vaccination (meningitis ACWY mandatory, influenza recommended), general fitness, cardiac and BP screening, condition-specific clearance. Application window opens autumn for the following spring Hajj.
Vaccination
Childhood vaccination schedule per Qatar's national programme. Adult vaccination including meningitis ACWY for Hajj pilgrims, seasonal influenza, COVID-19 boosters, travel vaccinations. Delivered at the assigned PHCC centre or any walk-in centre.
Maternal and Child Health
Antenatal care, postnatal follow-up, paediatric well-child visits, developmental screening, child immunisation. Antenatal care continues at PHCC until referral to HMC's Women's Wellness for delivery typically in the third trimester.
Dental Services
Routine dental examination, scaling, fillings, extractions and paediatric dentistry at PHCC dental clinics. Specialist dental care (orthodontics, oral surgery) is referred to HMC's dental specialty service.
Health Card Renewal
Renew the digital Hamad Health Card through Nar'aakom. QAR 100 a year for adults, QAR 50 for children. From April {year} the QID is read as the credential at PHCC and HMC desks but the digital record must remain active.
Mental Health Screening and Referral
First-line mental health screening through Nar'aakom symptom checker and PHCC family physician. Referral to HMC Mental Health Service for outpatient specialist care or to the 24/7 walk-in crisis intake at Hamad General ED.
How to access PHCC
- 1
Activate or renew your health card and install Nar'aakom
First-time activation through the HMC registration desk or through Hukoomi online. Install Nar'aakom from the App Store or Google Play. Log in with QID and Qatari SIM OTP through Tawtheeq. First-time login binds the app to your assigned PHCC centre.
- 2
Book or walk in for routine care
Use Nar'aakom to book with the assigned PHCC family physician. Walk-in is accepted at family medicine clinics morning and evening for febrile illness, acute issues and minor injury. Bring QID; from April {year} the physical health card is no longer needed at the desk.
- 3
Book the Medical Commission services through appointment
Visa fitness certificate, Hajj fitness certificate, sports medicine, school health: appointment-only through Nar'aakom or the relevant Medical Commission centre. Visa fitness typically completes within 10 working days from booking in {year}; Hajj fitness during the autumn window.
- 4
Use the dependant module for children and relatives
Link dependants through Nar'aakom's dependant module (added in {year}). Once linked, the primary account holder can book appointments and manage records for the dependant. Spouses are linked through a separate consent at the registration desk.
- 5
Get a referral for specialist HMC care
PHCC family physician issues the referral for specialist HMC care. The referral generates the first HMC appointment in Lbaih. Without the referral, HMC outpatient new bookings are not supported (ED escalation is the only other route). For chronic disease management, the referral is typically annual.
Troubleshooting
The errors residents hit most often on PHCC, and the fix that works.
Confirm Qatari SIM is in your own name with Ooredoo or Vodafone. Employer-registered SIMs cannot authenticate. Move the SIM at the operator with QID and passport. If SIM dormant after a long trip abroad, reactivate first.
Try alternative Medical Commission centres - capacity varies by location and day. Some employers have priority arrangements; check with HR. The {year} cycle reduced the typical queue to under 10 working days, but peak periods (autumn intake) still see longer waits.
Confirm the application window is open (autumn for the following spring's Hajj). Outside the window, applications are deferred. During the window, walk-in is also accepted at family medicine clinics morning and evening.
Children under 18 typically link automatically through QID-family relationship. If missing, complete the dependant linkage at the registration desk. Spouses require a separate joint consent.
Family medicine accepts walk-in for febrile illness, acute issues and minor injury. The Medical Commission, women's health and specialist clinics are appointment-only. Confirm which service line you need before walking in.
Migration takes 7 to 14 days. During this window, walk-in at the new centre is accepted but record continuity is broken. Do not switch during an active treatment cycle - wait for a stable point between reviews.
Frequently asked questions
Open Nar'aakom and pick the Medical Commission service line. Select 'Visa Medical Fitness' and book the next available slot at your nearest Medical Commission centre. Bring QID and the employer letter or sponsor confirmation. The certificate is issued after chest X-ray, blood test (HIV, hepatitis, syphilis) and general examination, typically within 10 working days in {year}. The certificate then feeds into the MOI residency-side flow through Metrash.
No. The Medical Commission services are appointment-only. Walk-in is rejected at the Medical Commission desk. Family medicine clinics accept walk-in for routine acute issues but not for the Medical Commission services. Book through Nar'aakom or call 107.
PHCC is the sole authorised issuer in Qatar. The application window opens in autumn for the following spring's Hajj. Visit any PHCC Family Medicine Clinic in the morning or evening, either by appointment through Nar'aakom or as walk-in during the Hajj window. The certificate confirms meningitis ACWY vaccination (mandatory), seasonal influenza vaccination (recommended), general fitness, BP and cardiac screening. Condition-specific clearance is added for diabetic, hypertensive and cardiac pilgrims.
PHCC (Primary Health Care Corporation) is the primary care network of 31 health centres handling routine and family medicine, vaccination, the Medical Commission and basic dental. HMC (Hamad Medical Corporation) is the tertiary hospital network handling specialist and inpatient care. The standard pattern is PHCC for routine care, PHCC referral for specialist HMC care. Both honour QID as credential from April {year}.
Open Nar'aakom, go to 'Health Card', tap 'Renew'. Pay QAR 100 (adults) or QAR 50 (children) through the integrated payment. Renewal takes effect immediately and the digital card is visible in the app. From April {year} the QID is read as the credential at PHCC and HMC desks but the digital record must remain active for the desk to confirm coverage.
Yes through the dependant module (added in {year}). Link the child once at the registration desk or through Nar'aakom's dependant flow. After linkage, the primary account holder can book appointments and view records for the dependant. Children under 18 typically link automatically through the parent's QID-family relationship.
Open Nar'aakom, go to 'My Health Center' and request a switch. Common reason is moving home to a different neighbourhood. Switch takes 7 to 14 days for records to migrate. Do not switch during an active chronic-disease treatment cycle - wait for a stable point between reviews to avoid disrupting the plan.
Citizens and GCC nationals access at no cost. Expatriate residents pay subsidised rates that are typically a small fraction of private clinic rates. The MOPH-mandatory health insurance for residents covers PHCC at the subsidised rate. Non-Qatari nationals on a tourist visa can access PHCC for acute care but at unsubsidised rates.
Book an appointment with your assigned PHCC family physician through Nar'aakom. Explain the symptom or condition. The family physician decides whether HMC specialist care is needed and issues the referral. The referral generates the first HMC appointment in Lbaih. Direct booking of HMC outpatient is not supported except through ED escalation.
The Qatar national childhood vaccination schedule (BCG, DTP, MMR, polio, hepatitis B, Hib, pneumococcal, rotavirus, varicella). Adult vaccinations including meningitis ACWY for Hajj pilgrims, seasonal influenza, COVID-19 boosters and travel vaccinations (typhoid, hepatitis A, yellow fever where indicated). Book through Nar'aakom or walk in to the assigned centre.
Nar'aakom login uses Tawtheeq (QID + Qatari SIM OTP). The Qatari SIM must be in your own name with Ooredoo or Vodafone; employer-registered SIMs cannot authenticate. Move the SIM at the operator with QID and passport. If the SIM has been dormant after a long trip abroad, reactivate at the operator shop first.
First-line mental health screening and brief intervention at PHCC by the family physician, with the Nar'aakom symptom-checker as a triage tool from {year}. For outpatient specialist mental health care, PHCC refers to HMC Mental Health Service. For crisis presentations, 24/7 walk-in at Hamad General ED is the path.
PHCC medical fitness certificates are recognised within Qatar's government and educational system. For use abroad, the certificate typically requires MOFA Qatar attestation through the standard chain. Vaccination records (international yellow card style) issued at PHCC are recognised internationally and do not need further attestation.
Open Nar'aakom and book with the assigned PHCC centre's antenatal clinic at the earliest pregnancy confirmation. PHCC manages antenatal continuity through the pregnancy with a referral to HMC Women's Wellness Centre for delivery in the third trimester. Do not drop PHCC antenatal visits after the HMC referral - PHCC remains the continuity provider for the pregnancy.
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