WCM-Q symposium examines healthcare priorities in the longevity era
Expert speakers at the WCM-Q symposium on healthcare and longevity.
Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar’s (WCM-Q) Global Institute for Population Health convened healthcare professionals, researchers and policymakers for a symposium examining how healthcare systems can better support healthier, longer lives as populations age and the burden of chronic disease grows.
The symposium, titled Reimagining Healthcare and Global Health in the Longevity Era, explored the challenges and opportunities arising from increasing longevity, including the growing prevalence of non-communicable diseases, multimorbidity and disability. Discussions also examined how greater emphasis on prevention, healthspan, lifestyle medicine and cross-sector collaboration could help healthcare systems respond to changing population needs.
Dr. Ravinder Mamtani, vice dean for population health and lifestyle medicine at WCM-Q, said: “The fact that human populations are living longer is a fantastic achievement for humanity, but we must also focus on helping people remain healthy, active and independent for as many of those years as possible. This requires us to look beyond traditional, disease-focused approaches and consider how prevention, healthy behaviours, public policy and innovation can work together to improve health outcomes across populations.”
The symposium brought together expertise from medicine, public health, academia and government to examine healthcare blind spots and identify opportunities to translate evidence into practice and policy. Sessions addressed the challenges of chronic disease management, the relationship between lifespan and healthspan, and the potential of innovative approaches to improve population health. Presentations explored how artificial intelligence, scientific wellness and preventive care can improve global health, highlighting gaps in healthcare communication, workforce preparedness and chronic disease management. Discussions emphasized the need for integrated, longevity-focused approaches that promote healthy ageing, healthspan and population wellbeing.
Dr. Sohaila Cheema, assistant dean of WCM-Q’s Global Institute for Population Health, said: “Addressing the challenges and opportunities of longevity requires us to rethink how healthcare is designed and delivered, from the way we communicate with patients to how we prevent and manage chronic disease. By bringing together diverse perspectives on healthy ageing, scientific wellness, artificial intelligence and health policy, this symposium highlighted the value of a more integrated, prevention-focused approach that helps people live not only longer, but enjoy more fulfilling and healthier lives.”
Other contributors included Dr. Javaid Sheikh, dean of WCM-Q; Dr. Hanan Abdul Rahim, professor of public health and dean of the College of Health Sciences at Qatar University; and Dr. Suryanarayanan Sethumadavan, health advisor for project affairs at the Public Works Authority (Ashghal).
The event concluded with a panel discussion that considered how health policy, interdisciplinary collaboration and partnerships across sectors could help address the complex factors shaping health and healthy ageing.