Key points
- Under Article 16 of Qatar's Law 13 of 2016, health data is personal data of a special nature and may only be processed after a permit from the competent department.3
- The National Cyber Security Agency runs the Special Nature Permissions Request service for that permit.4
- MOPH's Health Facilities Department licenses private clinics in three stages, five working days for registration and twenty each for initial and final assessment.5
- Qatar's population inside the country was 3,370,611 in March 2026, and the Doha municipality held 1,186,023 residents at the 2020 census.12
- wai hosts each clinic's records in its own country, under that country's rules. We set this up with your clinic.
Summary
In Doha, AI can draft clinical notes and patient replies once its handling of health data meets Qatar's Law 13 of 2016, which treats health data as special in nature and requires a permit before it is processed. MOPH's Health Facilities Department licenses the clinic, and its Department of Healthcare Professions licenses each practitioner.
Every family answered in Arabic the same evening, and every note signed before the clinic closes. In Doha that starts with a permit for health data and a licence from the Ministry of Public Health.
Part of the JCI hub, with the framework explained, a readiness checklist and 8 guides.
Part of the MOPH hub, with the framework explained, a readiness checklist and 7 guides.
See it in your clinicThirty minutes on your own patients and doctors.
Request a demoIn fifteen minutes, see an Arabic email sent at 23:00 turn into two booked paediatric slots and a note the doctor signs.
| Body or rule | What it requires | What to ask | How wai meets it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law 13 of 2016, Article 16, administered by the NCSA | A permit before processing health data, which is special in nature | Is our permit in place, and does the system match its controls | Records hosted in the clinic's own country, role-based access enforced in the database |
| MOPH Health Facilities Department | Facility licence after registration, initial assessment and final inspection | Can an inspector see who approved each message and signed each note | Every message, draft, approval and signature logged and exportable |
| MOPH Department of Healthcare Professions | Licence to practise for every health practitioner | Does a licensed clinician sign every note | AI drafts the note, the clinician reviews and signs it |
| Mandatory visitor health insurance | MOPH-approved policy for visitors who need a visa in advance | Can claims be prepared from the signed note | Codes drawn from consult notes and claims prepared for insurers |
The private care market in Doha
The 2020 census counted 2,846,118 people in Qatar, and 1,186,023 lived in the Doha municipality, up from 796,947 in 2010.2 The neighbouring Al Rayyan municipality held a further 826,786.2
The National Planning Council's monthly count shows how the population moves through the year. It stood at 3,224,922 in February 2025, fell to 2,873,401 in July 2025 and reached 3,370,611 in March 2026.1 Plan recall messages and clinic rotas around that summer dip.
The rules a clinic in Doha works under
Article 16 of Law 13 of 2016 lists health, physical and psychological condition among personal data of a special nature. Such data may only be processed after obtaining permission from the competent department, under the measures and controls set by ministerial decision.3 The National Cyber Security Agency administers the law and offers the Special Nature Permissions Request service online.4
The Ministry of Public Health's Health Facilities Department inspects public and private facilities and issues their licences after registration, initial assessment and final inspection.5 The Department of Healthcare Professions issues and revokes licences to practise and sets the conditions for professional ethics.6
Visitors who need a visa in advance must hold MOPH-approved health insurance before the visa is granted, and visitors arriving on a visa on arrival need a policy to stay beyond 30 days.7 wai hosts each clinic's records in its own country, under that country's rules. We set this up with your clinic. wai is compliant with these rules and built for clinics in Doha.
The languages patients write in
Article 1 of the Permanent Constitution makes Arabic the official language of the State of Qatar.8
wai works in any language and is built for Arabic-first care, so an Arabic message and an English one reach the same team and each reply is drafted for a person to approve.10
What a demo shows in Doha
A Qatari mother emails in Arabic at 23:00 asking for a paediatric appointment after school for two children. wai reads the paediatricians' busy times from Google Calendar, Outlook or Apple Calendar, finds two open slots back to back and drafts the reply in Arabic in the clinic's voice, and the receptionist approves it at 07:30. A missed call from a resident in Al Sadd the same evening gets a drafted text for the team to send.
At the visit wai drafts the consultation note, including a consultation that moves between Arabic and English, and the paediatrician reviews and signs it. The coding drawn from the note goes into the insurer claim the team prepares. Every message, draft, approval and signature is logged and exportable.9
For health systems, insurers and government in Qatar
Hospital operators, insurers and MOPH programmes in Qatar can commission a bilingual system on wai for a single care pathway, with data rights fixed in the contract. How a build is scoped appears on the organisations page.
Where to start
First, confirm your special nature data permit under Article 16 of Law 13 of 2016, or apply through the NCSA service. Second, keep the MOPH facility licence and every practitioner's DHP licence on file with your supplier records. Third, write down who in the team approves patient messages and who signs notes.
Then gather enquiries from one winter month and one summer month, noting language and hour, and use both in a fifteen-minute demo. The Gulf data residency guide covers the questions to ask any supplier. Pricing is published on the pricing page.
Bring a week of the clinic's Arabic and English emails and missed calls, and see the replies drafted for your receptionist.
Frequently asked questions
Does a Doha clinic need a permit to process health data?
Yes. Article 16 of Law 13 of 2016 allows personal data of a special nature, which includes health, to be processed only after permission from the competent department.3
Who handles that permit?
The National Cyber Security Agency runs the Special Nature Permissions Request service under the Personal Data Privacy Protection Law.4
Who licenses a private clinic in Qatar?
The Health Facilities Department of the Ministry of Public Health, through registration, initial assessment and final inspection.5
Who licenses the doctors?
The Department of Healthcare Professions at MOPH issues and revokes licences to practise health and medical professions.6
Does wai work in Arabic?
wai works in any language and is built for Arabic-first care.10
Where are our records hosted?
wai hosts each clinic's records in its own country, under that country's rules. We set this up with your clinic.9
Sources
- 1National Planning Council, State of Qatar, 2026Statistical key indicators, total population inside the State of Qatar, monthlyRead 15 October 2026Read source
- 2National Planning Council, State of Qatar, 2021Census 2020 detailed results, population by municipalityRead 15 October 2026Read source
- 3National Cyber Security Agency, State of Qatar, 2016Law No. 13 of 2016 on the protection of personal data privacy, English text, Article 16Read 15 October 2026Read source
- 4National Cyber Security Agency, State of Qatar, 2026Personal Data and Privacy Protection LawRead 15 October 2026Read source
- 5Ministry of Public Health, State of Qatar, 2026Health Facilities DepartmentRead 15 October 2026Read source
- 6Ministry of Public Health, State of Qatar, 2026Department of Healthcare Professions (DHP)Read 15 October 2026Read source
- 7Ministry of Public Health, State of Qatar, 2026Mandatory Health Insurance Scheme for visitorsRead 15 October 2026Read source
- 8Government Communications Office, State of Qatar, 2024The Permanent Constitution of the State of Qatar, Article 1Read 15 October 2026Read source
- 9wai, 2026Security at waiRead 15 October 2026Read source
- 10wai, 2026wai changelog, intake answered by voice in any languageRead 15 October 2026Read source
Doha families answered in Arabic before the school run, paediatric notes signed the same day.
Fifteen minutes with a clinician who uses wai daily, on your own diary and calendars. We reply within one working day.
Partner with us
See it on your own patients, then build it with us
Thirty minutes on your own patients, doctors and rules, in your market. We reply within one working day, and the clinics that partner with us early shape what we build next.
See what wai does between the visits