Palliative Care needs to be transformed world-wide, say palliative care specialists at QF’s WISH 2024

Dr. Tereza Kasaeva, Director of the WHO Global TB Programme, discussed policy recommendations at WISH for tackling TB amongst refugee and migrant populations.

DOHA, QATAR, November 18, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The second day of the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) – Qatar Foundation’s global healthcare initiative – featured a much-anticipated panel discussion on addressing the elimination of TB based on the ‘Innovative solutions towards the elimination of tuberculosis among refugees and migrants’ report released ahead of the summit. The discussion was moderated by Mr Stephen Sakur, of the BBC.

Dr. Tereza Kasaeva, Director of the World Health Organization Global TB Programme and lead author of the report, was joined by Ms Bience Gawanas the Vice-Chair of the Global Fund Board; Dr. Muna Al Muslamani, the Director of Communicable Disease Center HMC; Dr Michela Martini of the International Organization for Migration; Dr Paul Spiegel of Johns Hopkins University, and Mr Jospeh Mwangi Cachari of the Center for Disease Control Qatar.

Dr. Tereza elaborated on how tuberculosis remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases, disproportionately affecting refugees and migrants who often experience overcrowded living conditions, poor access to healthcare and limited social support amongst other factors.

The panel discussed, in detail, the strategies to implement the report’s ten policy recommendations, which are aligned with commitments from the UN’s political declarations on TB, migration, and refugees, as well as the WHO’s End TB Strategy and global action plan. These strategies, drawn from successful experiences, are intended to serve as a guide for stakeholders worldwide in making TB elimination a reality for all.

Dr Martini said: “This region sees large cross-border movements of undocumented migrants, and thanks to The Global Fund, we have been able to launch a roadmap towards the elimination of TB in regional countries.”

Speaking on Qatar’s achievements in the field, Dr Al Mulsamini, pointed out that, according to the CDC’s own registry, “The number of cases of TB in Qatar had decreased from 41 cases per 100,000 of population in 2002, to 31 in 2023.”

“All GCC countries follow the WHO recommendations and have national TB elimination programs,” said Dr Al Mulsamini, adding that Qatar’s TB monitoring service is centralized at the CDC (Center for Disease Control) hub and can last for up to one and half years. “We monitor migrants through our TB register of high-incidence countries,” she said, adding that “if migrants are on anti-TB medication, we follow-up through the IHR (International Health Regulation) and the MOPH (Ministry of Public Health) when they return to their own country.”

This year, WISH was opened in the presence of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation and founder of WISH. The opening ceremony, held at Qatar National Convention Centre in Doha, included speeches from Her Excellency Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, Qatar’s former Minister of Public Health; Lord Darzi of Denham, Executive Chair of WISH; and Christos Christou, President of Médecins Sans Frontières.

The theme of WISH 2024 was ‘Humanizing Health: Conflict, Equity and Resilience’. It aimed to highlight the need for innovation in health to support everyone, leaving nobody behind and building resilience, especially among vulnerable societies and in areas of armed conflict.

Ahead of the summit, WISH entered into a strategic partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), collaborating on the development of a series of evidence-based reports and policy papers, as well as working with the United Nations’ health agency to develop a post-summit implementation strategy. 

The summit featured more than 200 experts in health speaking about evidence-based ideas and practices in healthcare innovation to address the world’s most urgent global health challenges.

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Notes for editors
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 (QF) is a non-profit organization that supports Qatar on its journey to becoming a diversified and sustainable economy. QF strives to serve the people of Qatar and beyond by providing specialized programs across its innovation-focused ecosystem of education, research and development, and community development.

QF was founded in 1995 by His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Father Amir, and Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, who shared the vision to provide Qatar with quality education. Today, QF’s world-class education system offers lifelong learning opportunities to community members as young as six months through to doctoral level, enabling graduates to thrive in a global environment and contribute to the nation’s development.

QF is also creating a multidisciplinary innovation hub in Qatar, where homegrown researchers are working to address local and global challenges. By promoting a culture of lifelong learning and fostering social engagement through programs that embody Qatari culture, QF is committed to empowering the local community and contributing to a better world for all.

For a complete list of QF’s initiatives and projects, please visit: www.qf.org.qa.
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Media Contacts:
For any media inquiries about Qatar Foundation, please contact: pressoffice@qf.org.qa
For any media enquiries about this press release or WISH, please contact: WISH@saycomms.co.uk

Julia de Ocampo
Say Communications
jdocampo@saycomms.co.uk