This year’s edition of the annual event will gather at least 20 healthcare innovators from 13 countries.
Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation (QF), placed great emphasis on the link between sports and health during her opening remarks at the 2022 World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) on Tuesday.
Addressing senior health figures, officials and media personalities, Sheikha Moza said sports projects can further inspire Qatar and the world in reshaping “perceptions of ways of building more efficient and comprehensive healthcare systems.”
This year’s edition is the first to take place in-person since 2018.
“The strong connection that links our summit today to the World Cup is that of two core principles: health and sports,” said Sheikha Moza.
Under the theme “Healing The Future”, this year’s edition of the annual event will gather at least 20 healthcare innovators from 13 countries.
Some of the key figures that attended the opening session include Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who met with Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on the same day in Doha.
The health professionals will be displaying their innovations for the next three days as panels are scheduled to take place on issues concerning global health, such as the Covid-19 pandemic that took the world by surprise in 2020.
Speaking to the attendees, Sheikha Moza noted that the event maintains its goal to find ways to encourage people to lead a healthy lifestyle and preserve their health security.
“There can be no substitute for the essential work done by researchers, doctors, and medical practitioners. Nonetheless, we look towards transformative events to inspire individuals and remind them of their responsibilities towards themselves and their community,” said Sheikha Moza.
The Qatari royal underscored the importance of exercise and sports in achieving a healthy lifestyle.
“This is where sports and exercise play a huge role, as participation is not limited to age or class, but it is open for all,” said the QF chairperson.
According to Qatar’s News Agency, the discussions will deal with climate change and food security, the mental health of healthcare workers, and vaccine innovation.
This year’s WISH will also focus on four main pillars that include sports and health, disability and inclusivity, post-Covid-19 legacy, and wellbeing.
The annual event displays the importance of healthcare to Qatar, which was able to lead successful efforts in mitigating the impact of Covid-19 after its outbreak.
A day before the event, the World Health Organization (WHO) designated all of Qatar’s cities as “Healthy Cities”.
Qatar is the first country in the Eastern Mediterranean region to receive the WHO Healthy City awards for all eight of its municipalities as a result of the country’s efforts to offer its population sustainable and healthier options.
