International health experts assembled in Doha for the first Middle East and North Africa (Mena) regional meeting, co-hosted by the US-based Association of Academic Health Centres International (AAHCI) and Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC)as reported by Qatar Chronicle.
The two-day meeting opened yesterday in the presence of the Minister of Health and Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Health H E Abdullah bin Khalid Al Qahtani at The Ritz-Carlton Doha.
It is focusing on the development of and models for academic health centres.
Experts from the US, Qatar, the UK, the Netherlands, Singapore, Canada, Oman, Saudi Arabia, India and Lebanon spoke at the event, attended by senior health leaders from the Mena region.
Academic health systems integrate research, education and clinical care in a unique manner to focus on improving patient care and delivering innovative healthcare solutions.
The Washington DC-based AAHCI was formed in recognition that the global healthcare community is rapidly becoming more interconnected with many opportunities for institutional learning. AAHCI is the only international organisation providing a platform for this engagement, interaction and leadership.
HMC, together with six partner organisations, is developing a nationwide academic health system, a first in the Mena region.
HMC Managing Director, Dr Hanan Al Kuwari, said the gathering highlighted progress being made by Qatar’s Academic Health System (AHS), which is using a model unique to the region.
“Qatar’s AHS is bringing together our nation’s education and healthcare partners to realise a shared vision of high-quality patient care,” Dr Al Kuwari said.
“Our AHS was launched in August 2011 in the presence of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, who has been a passionate advocate for the aims and objectives of the system which will pioneer clinical discoveries and make these innovations available to patients.
“We have made much progress since the launch of our partnership 18 months ago and have an ambitious strategy to deliver.”
AAHCI President and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Steven A Wartman (pictured), said that in recent years, there had been renewed global interest in the role of academic health systems in leading the transformation of health services through an integrated approach to clinical practice, education and research.
“We are grateful to have this landmark AAHCI Inaugural Middle East & North Africa Regional Meeting hosted in Qatar.
“It is indeed impressive to see the great strides being made in Qatar to create one of the first nation-wide academic health systems.
“The model that is being developed holds great potential for achieving AAHCI’s global mission of advancing and applying knowledge to improve health and well-being.”
Source :
Qatar Chronicle
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