26 January 2017 - Philippine Secretary of Health Jean Rosell-Ubial concluded a successful two-day visit to Doha on January 22 to 23 with the purpose of exploring potential partnerships on the establishment of a Filipino-run 100-bed general hospital, which is slated for construction by 2018. Director Maylene Beltran of the Bureau of International Health Cooperation of DOH, and Dr. Jose Manigque Tiongco, Chairman of the Medical Mission Group joined Sec. Ubial during the visit. While waiting for the construction of the hospital by 2018, the Medical Mission Group will first start with a polyclinic in Doha by third quarter of 2017. Secretary Rosell-Ubial met with prospective Qatari investors, one of which is Mr. Hamad Bin Jassim Al-Thani, a member of the Royal family in Doha; and Deputy Chairman of AlJazeera International Group W.L.L. Mr. Al-Thani acknowledged the importance of establishing a medical facility in Doha to be able to keep up with the demand for the health care given Qatar’s booming economy. The Secretary also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Dr. Tiongco of the Medical Mission Group and a Qatari investor. Secretary Rosell-Ubial called on Charge d’affaires, a.i. Roussel Reyes of the Philippine Embassy in Doha, and met with the members of the Filipino communities in Qatar through a press conference at the Embassy Social Hall. On the last day of the visit, Secretary Rosell-Ubial met with the Minister of Public Health in Qatar Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al-Kuwari.