World innovation summit for health to showcase Qatari healthcare initiative 'YOUR HEALTH FIRST'

Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar’s five-year awareness campaign to be demonstrated to global healthcare experts and decision makers

January, 2015

The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), an initiative of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), will showcase the Qatari Sahtak Awalan’– Your Health First program among some of the world’s most exciting healthcare innovations at the second WISH Summit taking place on 17-18 February 2015.

Run by Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMC-Q), a member of Qatar Foundation, Your Health First is a unique wellness promotion program designed to encourage the Qatari population to lead healthy lifestyles. The five-year educational campaign targets all sections of society, with a particular focus on helping young people aged between 10 and 25 years to make positive, healthy lifestyle decisions.

Following the success of last year’s handpicked Innovation Showcases, this year WISH’s Showcases were opened up to entries from around the globe and received 80 applications from 26 countries in all areas of health innovation: digital health, healthcare products, design-solutions and innovative health systems and services. Selected entries, including Your Health First, will be given the chance to present their ideas to more than 1,000 leading global healthcare experts attending the 2015 Summit.

The selection was made by the Innovation Showcases Curation Team, represented by Professor the Lord Darzi of Denham, Executive Chair of WISH; Dr. Hanan Al Kuwari, Managing Director of Hamad Medical Corporation; Tim Brown of global ideas consultancy IDEO; and Bright Simons, President of mPedigree Network, social innovator and entrepreneur.

‘Your Health First’ was launched in 2012 by HE Abdulla bin Khalid Al-Qahtani, Minister of Public Health, with a plan to raise awareness of the issue of obesity in Qatar where 70 per cent of adults are overweight and 41 per cent obese.

H.E. Abdullah bin Khalid Al Qahtani underscored the importance of community-wide health awareness initiatives, asserting that: “Health is not limited to large-scale projects, hospitals and health centers, but it is far more important to promote health awareness and healthier lifestyles among the population. These efforts directly contribute to the fulfillment of health objectives that are aligned with Qatar National Health Strategy 2011-2016 and Qatar National Vision 2030.”

His Excellency added: “Your Health First is a crucial initiative due to its leading role in promoting health awareness, and it is imperative that it is presented at the World Innovation Summit for Health as an Innovation Showcase that delegates could learn from, alongside other unique global healthcare innovations to be revealed at the Summit.”

Dr Javaid Sheikh, Dean of Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, said: “Through its Innovation Showcases, WISH offers the perfect platform for us to share the potential of ‘Your Health First’ while we take the lead here in Qatar to encourage a new generation of health-aware young adults. It is crucial we educate and inspire our Qatari youth to take ownership of their health and their bodies to enable the best possible fitness for a lifetime of happiness and success.

“I am proud to be partnering with WISH who share these same values of collaboration and innovation in the work they undertake on behalf of the global health community. By working together we truly can deliver the best possible healthcare for Qatar.”

Professor the Lord Darzi of Denham, Executive Chair of WISH, said: “Our Innovation Showcases aim to highlight new ideas that have the potential to help transform healthcare worldwide. Educational campaigns such as ‘Your Health First’ strongly support Qatar’s journey toward the fulfillment of Qatar National Vision 2030’s goals in healthcare, and we are delighted to showcase a key Qatari initiative that further contributes to our mission of disseminating the best ideas in healthcare for the benefit of communities all over the globe.”

Qatar Foundation has established WISH to bring about action in healthcare innovation locally in Qatar, regionally and globally. Through WISH, Qatar Foundation is supporting the nation in establishing healthcare initiatives for the benefit of the globe while remaining closely aligned to the vision of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation.

For more information about WISH and the 2015 Summit, please visit wish.org.qa.