Terminal Illness & End-of-Life Planning in Qatar: 5-Step Official Checklist

1. 1

   Coordinate Palliative Care, Home Health Services, and Health Coverage

   • Specialized inpatient and outpatient palliative care: Coordinate multidisciplinary supportive care through Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), particularly the Supportive and Palliative Care Division at the National Center for Cancer Care and Research (NCCCR) in Doha, which provides integrated symptom management, pain control, and psychosocial support [1] [5].
   • Home Health Care Services (HHCS): Request a physician referral to Hamad Medical Corporation Home Health Care Services, which delivers scheduled home nursing visits, physician consultations, clinical nutrition, physiotherapy, and home medical equipment for housebound patients across Qatar [5].
   • Health Card and insurance coverage: Ensure your family member's Hamad Health Card is active, and check coverage rules under the Ministry of Public Health mandatory health insurance system (Seha / visitor and resident policies) or private corporate medical insurance for home nursing, medications, or overseas treatment referrals [1] [5].
2. 2

   Record Advance Medical Preferences and Designate a Healthcare Representative

   • Clinical goals-of-care documentation: Under Ministry of Public Health patient-rights regulations and Hamad Medical Corporation clinical governance policies, a mentally competent adult patient has the right to be informed of their diagnosis, participate in treatment planning, and express preferences regarding invasive interventions and goals of care [1] [5].
   • Goals-of-care and resuscitation orders: Discuss pain management priorities, intensive-care escalation, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation policies directly with the attending consultant at Hamad Medical Corporation so that any clinically indicated Allow Natural Dignity / Do-Not-Attempt-Resuscitation medical order is properly evaluated and documented by the specialist team in the electronic health record (Cerner) in accordance with Qatari medical law and Islamic bioethical norms [1] [5].
   • Designating a next-of-kin medical representative: Have your family member formally record a primary family spokesperson and medical representative in their Hamad Medical Corporation file while they retain full capacity, accompanied by a physician's note confirming their mental alertness and capacity [1] [5].
3. 3

   Execute Authenticated Powers of Attorney and Bank Mandates

   • Ministry of Justice (Sak) Power of Attorney: While your family member retains full legal capacity, execute a General or Special Power of Attorney (Tawkeel) through the Authentication Department of the Ministry of Justice via the Sak electronic portal on the Hukoomi Government Portal [2]. The Power of Attorney can be submitted digitally using the National Authentication System (Tawtheeq) and verified via video call or in-person attendance (including mobile notarization visits for hospitalized or housebound citizens and residents) [2].
   • Scope and capacity rules under Qatari law: Under the Qatari Civil Code, a Power of Attorney is valid only if executed while the principal has full mental capacity, and banks or government ministries require explicit wording covering banking transactions, real estate management, or litigation [2]. If an adult loses mental capacity without a valid mandate, any judicial guardianship (Hajr or curatorship) must be ordered by the Family Court of the Supreme Judiciary Council and supervised alongside the General Authority for Minors' Affairs [2] [3] [6].
   • Direct banking verification: Because banks in Qatar enforce strict central-bank verification rules on third-party powers of attorney, register the Ministry of Justice authenticated Power of Attorney directly with each local bank while the account holder can still confirm the mandate [2].
4. 4

   Activate Disability, Medical Retirement, and Caregiver Support Benefits

   • GRSIA medical retirement and disability pension (Qatari nationals): If your family member is a Qatari civil or military contributor whose illness prevents continued work, submit a medical board referral to the General Retirement and Social Insurance Authority (GRSIA) via the Hukoomi Government Portal [4]. An insured contributor certified by the Competent Medical Committee as permanently medically unfit for service can qualify for a disability/medical retirement pension, and may also register an Authorized Representative with GRSIA to manage pension disbursements [4].
   • Statutory sick leave and caregiver accompaniment leave: Under Qatari human resources and labour regulations, employees are entitled to paid and partial-pay statutory sick leave upon presenting an approved medical certificate from the Ministry of Public Health or Hamad Medical Corporation, and Qatari civil servants may apply for paid patient-accompaniment leave when caring for a hospitalized or overseas-treated family member [1] [4] [5].
5. 5

   Organize Wills, Civil Records, and Cross-Border Estate Documentation

   • Wills for Muslim and non-Muslim residents: Under the Qatari Family Law, a Muslim testator may bequeath up to one-third (1/3) of their net estate by Will (Wasiyya) to non-heirs without the consent of legal heirs, while the remaining two-thirds are distributed according to mandatory Sharia shares supervised by the Family Court of the Supreme Judiciary Council [2] [3] [6]. Non-Muslim foreign nationals residing or holding assets in Qatar may execute and register a Will (either authenticated through the Ministry of Justice or registered with the Qatar Financial Centre Wills and Probate Registry) electing the law of their nationality to govern their Qatari estate [2] [3] [6].
   • Property deeds, vehicle records, and civil documents: Gather original real estate title deeds registered with the Ministry of Justice, vehicle registrations, bank statements, and certified marriage and birth certificates for all legal heirs so that future succession filings (Hasr Al-Waratha) before the Supreme Judiciary Council proceed smoothly [2] [3] [6].
   • Cross-border coordination: If your family member holds assets or has heirs outside Qatar, ensure foreign civil status documents and powers of attorney are attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Doha and translated into Arabic by an accredited legal translator [2] [3].

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   Public Health Services and Official Medical Documentation — Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) Qatar
2. [2]
   Legal Affairs, Justice, and Power of Attorney Authentication Services — Hukoomi - Qatar e-Government Portal
3. [3]
   Supreme Judiciary Council Service on Determination of Heirs and Consensual Distribution of Inheritance — Hukoomi / Supreme Judiciary Council of Qatar
4. [4]
   General Retirement and Social Insurance Authority (GRSIA) Pension and Representative Certificates — Hukoomi - Qatar e-Government Portal
5. [5]
   Hamad Medical Corporation - Supportive, Palliative, and Home Health Care Services — Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC)
6. [6]
   Supreme Judiciary Council - Family Court and E-Services Portal — Supreme Judiciary Council of Qatar