The panel discussing on cancer care during a policy briefing session at WISH 2020 yesterday.
Doha: Qatar’s achievement in becoming a hub in the region for cancer treatment was among the several other healthcare dialogues held on the second day of the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH 2020) yesterday.
The Cancer Care policy briefing session reviewed successful lessons learned from Qatar’s First National Cancer Control Programme, launched in 2011.
A global advocate for Cancer Control and Non-Communicable Diseases, Princess Dina Mired of Jordan lauded efforts and said that Qatar is leading cancer care.
“I really think their achievement is because they have done everything systematically,” she said.
The session also featured Director of Public Health, Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) Dr. Sheikh Mohammed Al Thani, Director; Cancer Screening Programme at Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), Dr. Sheikha Abu Sheikha and Professor and Coordinator of the Genomics and Precision Medicine (GPM) program at the College of Health and Life Sciences at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Dr. Georges Nemer.
“We give a holistic approach to cancer care in the country by creating awareness in prevention, early screening, treatment, management, taking care of survivors, conducting related research, having a cancer registry,” said Dr. Al Thani.
The speakers also highlighted how Qatar’s cancer care principles could be adapted in other countries internationally to be culturally specific while reviewing several key recommendations, consolidating areas of significant achievement, and incorporating technology.
Delivering the second keynote of the summit, Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman emphasized the role of education systems in preserving the efficiency of healthcare systems, and the importance of working together to combat climate change and trusting science and education to create a healthier world for future generations.
“Health is Education, and Education is Health. You can’t untangle the two,” he said.
Speaking on how to bypass the pandemic, Freeman said, “Trust in science rather than fake news, and if we put our trust in the healthcare community, we will get through the current pandemic.”
“Today’s children shouldn’t grow up unsure if the world of tomorrow will have the natural resources to sustain them. They shouldn’t be absorbing the anxieties of a world battling a cruel pandemic,” he said.
Virtual WISH 2020 features a wide range of live sessions in different formats. Day two of WISH 2020 also featured sessions on healthy dry cities and immunotherapy.
Among the discussions happening in the Ideas Lab was a session titled WISH Young Innovators Revisited: Adapting to Thrive. Several global health entrepreneurs shared their experiences in transforming their healthcare innovation ideas into viable businesses after showcasing their innovations at previous WISH summits.
