The State of Qatar took its first steps in establishing a primary healthcare system and started to provide healthcare services through a range of clinics as early as 1954. In 1978 the Ministry developed a comprehensive scheme for building a primary healthcare system which was submitted to the Council of Ministers and the scheme included the launching of primary healthcare services through 9 healthcenters, covering different parts of the country, and capable of providing basic and essential medical services (preventive and curative).