QF to launch inaugural WISH

Source: Qatar Tribune

QATAR Foundation (QF) for Education, Science and Community Development will launch the inaugural World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) at the Qatar National Convention Centre in Doha on December 10-11, 2013.

A distinguished audience of decision-makers and influencers from across the world will convene to discuss practical, lasting and innovative solutions to global healthcare challenges. The high-profile event, which is the successor to last year’ Global Health Policy Summit in London, will bring together heads of states, ministers, senior government officials, academics and thinkers, as well as some of the world’ most influential business leaders.

Dr Mohammad Fathy Saoud, President of Qatar Foundation, emphasised the organisation’ firm commitment to WISH and to advancing healthcare through the key areas of research, development and education.

“Qatar Foundation has launched a number of crucial initiatives within medical research and healthcare that benefit people both nationally and internationally,” he said. “œWe now have a much more enhanced understanding of how innovation can overcome globalised healthcare challenges, and the value of creating a far-reaching network that is a lasting resource for innovators and reformers worldwide.” The mission of WISH is closely aligned to the vision of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, and represents her ongoing commitment to raising the standards of healthcare nationally and internationally.

Her Highness Sheikha Moza announced WISH during last year’ Global Health Policy Summit in London’ Guildhall, which was jointly organised by Qatar Foundation and Imperial College London’ Institute of Global Health Innovation. During Her Highness” address she urged delegates to invest their efforts into coordinating and improving prevention and treatment of diseases by exchanging ideas, collaborating and learning from global experiences.

The Right Honourable Professor the Lord Darzi of Denham, Chairman for the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College London and Executive Chair of WISH, said, “WISH is about action. This summit will look at ideas which are evidence-based, scalable, and sustainable ” often ideas which have already been implemented somewhere in the world ” and work out how to implement them far more widely.” He added, “œThe summit will be based on the concept that radical innovation is needed to meet the world’ health challenges, and that this requires more collaboration between those bodies and individuals that are in a position to make a difference. I hope that in time this annual event will become the Davos of healthcare.” Prominent international healthcare innovation experts will chair the summit’ working groups which focus on eight themes: obesity, mental health, integrated and accountable care, end-of-life, road traffic accidents, empowering patients, anti-macrobial resistance and big data.

WISH’ objectives complement the mission and vision of Qatar Foundation and Qatar National Vision 2030, while serving to highlight Qatar’ growing role as an emerging center for healthcare innovation. As the nation stands at the forefront of healthcare reform, QF has successfully launched a number of valuable and unprecedented initiatives ” from biomedical research to maternal health and clinical care.

Through WISH, QF aims to create tangible and long-lasting solutions in healthcare advocacy, policy, research and delivery. In keeping with this objective, the summit has been designed to build a network of health experts and to facilitate an interdisciplinary approach, as well as best practices that can transform healthcare policies and systems globally.

QF is doing its utmost to advance this mission through education and research. It is leading medical programmes to target treatments for prevalent diseases in Qatar and across the region, with the goal of sharing solutions worldwide. The Foundation also seeks to work with a growing alliance of professionals who are committed to identifying the most promising healthcare innovations and developing them into practical solutions for policymakers.

Over 500 delegates convened at the Global Health Policy Summit in London last year to discuss the challenges faced by practitioners and policymakers in areas including maternal health, primary care, ageing societies and digital innovation in healthcare.

To find out more about WISH, visit http://www.wish-qatar.org/