WISH Summit Calls For Protecting Healthcare

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Fazeena Saleem | The Peninsula

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Foundation's biennial World Innovation Summit for health (WISH 7) opened yesterday with a special emphasis on the importance of humanising health.

Chairperson of Qatar Foundation H H Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser graced the opening session of the summit.

The 7th edition of the summit is being held under the theme 'Humanizing Health: Conflict, Equity, and Resilience'.Health policymakers, innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, and practitioners gather at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) to explore new solutions to some of the world's biggest health problems.

The opening ceremony also witnessed the presence of Minister of Public Health H E Mansoor bin Ebrahim bin Saad Al Mahmoud; former Minister of Public Health H E Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari; Vice-Chairperson and CEO of QF, H E Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani; WISH CEO Slim Slama; Executive Chair of WISH, Lord Darzi of Denham; and President of Médecins Sans Frontières, Dr. Christos Christou.

In her opening remarks H E Al Kuwari said,“At WISH, we strive to present the world's most cutting-edge ideas and scientific advancements. But we also focus on confronting the urgent challenges before us, particularly given that Qatar holds a firm belief in our shared responsibility to foster understanding, drive progress, and uphold the spirit of global cooperation.

“This year's theme, 'Humanizing Health: Conflict, Equity, and Resilience', reflects our commitment to addressing the profound health challenges people face worldwide, especially those who have, and continue to endure unimaginable hardships,” she said.

Stressing the importance of protecting healthcare in conflict zones, Al Kuwari said,“This is about rebuilding lives, restoring hope and reimagining a future defined by compassion, adaptability and resilience.”

Reflecting on the Summit theme of conflict, equity, and resilience, Dr. Christos Christou described attacks on healthcare facilities and workers as a“new norm” and called for accountability.

“We need to know that there is a place that is respected, and that place is a hospital. We are scrambling without basic medicines, anaesthetics or antibiotics. There are many doctors in Gaza who are amputating on children without anaesthetic, for example,” Dr. Christou said.

Calling for action to stop attacks on healthcare facilities and workers, he said,“We welcome all new statements, commitments but we need action.”

A film shown during the opening ceremony told the story of 11-year-old Dareen Al Bayaa, a Palestinian girl who lost 47 members of her extended family on October 22, 2023, as a result of a devastating attack on her home in Gaza, with only Dareen and her five-year-old brother surviving and being taken to Doha for medical treatment. On day one, the summit discussed several reports published as a result of the strategic partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO).

The discussions included 'In the line of fire: Protecting health in armed conflict'; 'Tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR): How to keep antibiotics working for the next century'; and 'AI and Healthcare Ethics in the Gulf Region: An Islamic Perspective on Medical Accountability.' Alongside discussions based on WISH reports, additional sessions took place on topics such as women's cancer, palliative care, and the war in Sudan. Today, the summit will feature discussions around mental health, palliative care, obesity, diabetes and others. WISH 7 will conclude today with the announcement of the winners of the WISH innovation competitions and the launch of a new CARDIO4Cities initiative.

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