WISH Highlights Urgent Need for Physical Activity Policies in Post-COVID Era at Global Public Health Conference

BANGKOK, Thailand – The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) reinforced its commitment to wellbeing, physical activity, and rehabilitation as Abdulla Saeed Al-Mohannadi, Forums Manager at WISH, presented a research paper on the “Impact of COVID-19 on Physical Activity in Qatar” at the 8th Global Public Health Conference (GlobeHeal 2025) in Bangkok, Thailand, in February.

As lifestyle diseases surge across Qatar and the GCC, affecting younger populations, promoting physical activity has become a critical health priority. The pandemic significantly disrupted global movement patterns, exacerbating sedentary lifestyles and accelerating the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Abdulla’s presentation shed light on these challenges and the urgent need for policy-driven interventions to promote active lifestyles.

“COVID-19 not only reshaped healthcare but also redefined how we move. The surge in sedentary lifestyles is a ticking time bomb for public health, especially in regions like the GCC, where NCDs are on the rise at younger ages,”_ said Abdulla Al-Mohannadi, Forums Manager at WISH.

WISH has long championed wellbeing, rehabilitation, and disability inclusion, making it a core track in its global health program. Even at the height of the pandemic, WISH adapted, hosting its 6th edition in 2020 partially online, drawing a record-breaking 25,000 participants.

With this discussion at GlobeHeal 2025, WISH continues to play a pivotal role in shaping global health dialogues, ensuring that physical activity is recognized as a key pillar of health promotion in the communities for long-term public health resilience.

For more on WISH’s work in this space, visit wish.org.qa and follow #WISHQatar.