WISH lends its voice to World Health Day and highlights the need for global health for all
Doha, Qatar 6 April 2015: The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), a global initiative of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), is lending its support to the World Health Organization’s ‘World Health Day’, taking place ON Tuesday 7 April.
World Health Day is a global awareness day celebrated every year providing a vital platform for drawing attention to major global health concerns. This year highlights the significance of food safety, aiming to prevent the many illnesses and suffering that can result from consuming contaminated and ill-prepared food.
Over 200 diseases are caused by unsafe food containing harmful bacteria, parasites, viruses, chemical substances and is linked to the deaths of some 2 million people annually, mostly children². Changes in food production, distribution and consumption; the environment; new and emerging pathogens; and antimicrobial resistance all pose challenges to food safety systems.
WISH is spearheaded by Qatar Foundation to inspire and diffuse healthcare innovation and best practice. It remains closely aligned to the vision and mission of QF to unlock human potential and reinforces Qatar’s pioneering role as an emerging centre for healthcare innovation.
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) was a focus of research undertaken by WISH and presented in Qatar in 2013. An area of huge medical concern as growing numbers of bacterial and viral infections are now resistant to antimicrobial drugs. Since the report was published, its evidence-based recommendations have been shared widely with global leaders and policy makers and in 2014, it used to contribute to an AMR Independent Review commissioned by UK Prime Minster, David Cameron.
Commenting on the significance of World Health Day, Professor the Lord Darzi of Denham, Executive Chair of WISH and Director of the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College of London, said: “WISH and our community of health experts believe that good health is an essential human right and a cornerstone of sustainable development and global security. Our WISH policy reports provide recommendations for policymakers to implement much needed change in how global healthcare is financed and delivered. WISH stands alongside WHO today offering our support, we will continue working with governments worldwide to bring about change and prevent unnecessary suffering.”
For more information about WISH and to view reports, please visit https://wish.org.qa/
¹ – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Health_Day
² – http://www.who.int/campaigns/world-health-day/2015/event/en/
3_ http://www.wish-qatar.org/summit/2015-summit/reports-en/universal-health-coverage-en
Notes to Editors:
For more information please contact:
Noha El Afify
WISH Communications Manager
nelafify@wish.org.qa
About the World Innovation Summit for Health:
The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) is a global healthcare community dedicated to capturing and disseminating the best evidence-based ideas and practices. WISH is an initiative of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) and is under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, its Chairperson.
The inaugural WISH Summit took place in Doha in 2013 and convened more than 1,000 global healthcare leaders. Through international summits and a range of ongoing initiatives, WISH is creating a global community of leading innovators in healthcare policy, research and industry.
Together, they are harnessing the power of innovation to overcome the world’s most urgent healthcare challenges and inspire other stakeholders to action.
Qatar Foundation – Unlocking Human Potential
Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development is a private, non-profit organisation that is supporting Qatar on its journey from a carbon economy to knowledge economy by unlocking human potential for the benefit of not only Qatar, but the world. Founded in 1995 by His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Father Amir of Qatar, QF is chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser.
QF carries out its mission through three strategic pillars: education, science and research, and community development. QF’s education pillar brings world-class universities to Qatar to help create an education sector in which young people can develop the attitudes and skills required for a knowledge economy. Meanwhile, its science and research pillar builds Qatar’s innovation and technology capacity by developing and commercialising solutions through key sciences. Finally, its community development pillar helps foster a progressive society while also enhancing cultural life, protecting Qatar’s heritage and addressing immediate social needs in the community.
For a complete list of QF’s initiatives and projects, visit http://www.qf.org.qa
For more information about Qatar Foundation please contact our press office at: pressoffice@qf.org.qa
