Qatar University’s Health Sector (QU Health) has advanced efforts to enhance healthcare professionals’ expertise in traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine through a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activity. Conducted by the university’s Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) Research Network Group, the training is part of the Diraya initiative, which aims to equip 500 healthcare workers with the skills and knowledge necessary to provide safe, evidence-based advice on complementary therapies.
The session, led by Dr. Zainab al-Musleh—an adjunct assistant professor at Qatar University and senior consultant in Audio-Vestibular Medicine at Hamad Medical Corporation—and Dr. Tamer Aboushanab, a Ministry of Health physician from Egypt and TCIM researcher, focused on the integration of complementary medicine knowledge into clinical practice. The training emphasized the importance of healthcare providers asking patients about the use of traditional remedies and complementary therapies during consultations, given the potential risks posed by herb-drug interactions.
Dr. al-Musleh underscored the critical need for enhanced education in this field, citing recent studies from Qatar showing a generally positive attitude toward complementary medicine among healthcare professionals. Specifically, 83.8% of general practitioners in Doha and 90% of oncology staff expressed favourable views, while 97.5% indicated a desire for additional training on complementary therapies. She also pointed to international research identifying gaps in clinicians’ knowledge, insufficient patient screening, and communication barriers as factors that may compromise patient safety when complementary medicines are used alongside conventional treatments.
Highlighting the significance of ongoing professional development, Dr. Haitham Abou Saleh, head of the Continuing Professional Development section at Qatar University, stated that targeted education initiatives like Diraya are essential for responding to evolving patient needs. He noted that strengthening healthcare professionals’ understanding and confidence is key to ensuring safe, evidence-based clinical decisions that serve patients’ best interests.
The CPD activity reflects a broader commitment within Qatar’s healthcare system to integrate traditional and complementary medicine knowledge into standard care protocols, aiming to enhance patient safety and improve clinical outcomes.