The panel on Mental Health and Digital Technologies on third day of WISH yesterday.
Doha: The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), being held under the banner of ‘One World, Our Health’, featured several panels and new research reports highlighting the healthcare challenges and major epidemics the world is combating alongside COVID-19, and the potential of digital health solutions, yesterday.
The third day of the summit featured a keynote speech by Eva Longoria, American actress and philanthropist, a conversation with Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund, Forum panel on Mental Health and Digital Technology; Forum panel on Cybersecurity and Healthcare Systems and Masterclass by Alastair Campbell ‘Living Better: Learning to Survive Depression’.
The panel on Mental Health and Digital Technologies evaluated a new report about the impact on different digital mental health tools can be brought together into coherent pathways and packages of care. It was co-chaired by Professor Helen Christensen at the Black Dog Institute.
“Technologies available out there are targeted towards western societies, towards societies that consider mental health from a different perspective,” said Assistant Professor at the College of Science and Engineering at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Dr. Dena Al Thani.
The Nursing and Midwifery Workforce Development Session highlighted that Qatar has taken tremendous efforts to develop healthcare professionals, including nursing and midwifery in the last few years. These efforts have been in terms of education and training, leadership; and collaborative partnerships and initiatives undertaken, said Senior Associate of Research and Policy at World Innovation Summit for Health, Dr. Sanaa Al Harahsheh.
“Qatar has made a significant progress and achievements in the area of nursing and midwifery development,” she said.
The Nursing and Midwifery Workforce Development policy briefing session provided an overview of the progress in this key area, with a focus on Qatar-specific context. It also highlighted the current evidence about nurses’ and midwives’ contribution to health and wellbeing; key issues and achievements in terms of leadership, education, and training; and collaborative partnerships and initiatives.
Panellists highlighted on that world needs nine million more nurses and midwives if it is to achieve universal health coverage by 2030 and World Health Assembly has designated 2020 the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife.
The session also featured Director Health Workforce, World Health Organisation, Jim Campbell; Assistant Director of Nursing, Primary Health Care Corporation, Afrah Moosa Ali; Dean and CEO at University of Calgary in Qatar (UCQ), Professor Debbie White; and Professor, Faculty of Nursing, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Prof. Rowaida Al Maaitah.
Day four of WISH 2020 will include panels discussions on Islamic Ethics and Infertility Treatment and Health Challenges of Major Sports Events, with keynote by Secretary General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, Hassan Al Thawadi and a frank discussion with Dr. Anthony Fauci on bringing the pandemic to an end.
