The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), an initiative of Qatar
Foundation, has presented its findings from research into dementia and
autism at the fifth International Workshop on Food and Brain Health, at
Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) in Muscat, Oman.
The two-day event held under the patronage of Dr Mona Fahad al-Said,
assistant vice chancellor for international co-operation at SQU, from
November 5-6, brought together delegates from around the world to
investigate the impact of food and nutrition on brain health.
Discussions covered topics from the definition, causes, and treatment
for neurodegenerative diseases to research findings on dietary practices
and their unique role in health.
Sultana Afdhal, acting chief executive officer, WISH, and Dr Walid
Qoronfleh, director of research and policy development, WISH, met with
Dr al-Said to outline WISH’s work and discuss areas of potential future
collaboration between WISH and SQU.
Afdhal said, “I’m pleased to have had the opportunity to accompany the
WISH research team to SQU, where we were given the chance to join the
discussion on food and brain health and to share our research on autism
and dementia, two very important mental health-related topics.
Further studies within both can bring great benefit to the population of Qatar, the region, and beyond.”
Dr Qoronfleh delivered a keynote address on dementia on the first day of
the workshop, organised by SQU’s Food Science and Nutrition Department.
Dr Qoronfleh highighted the main learnings accumulated from the two
research reports produced by WISH to date, namely a 2015 dementia forum
report titled ‘A Call to Action: The Global Response to Dementia through
Policy Innovation’ and a 2016 meeting report titled ‘Enhancing the
Response to the Burden and Impact of Dementia Through Policy and Social
Innovation in the Eastern Mediterranean Region’.
A presentation about WISH’s autism research findings were delivered on
the second day by three members of WISH’s Qatar-based research team,
Sanaa Taha Alharahsheh, senior associate of research and policy, and
research and policy development officers Faras K Almeer and Maha El
Akoum. Their presentation was based on the WISH 2016 report titled
‘Autism: A Global Framework for Action’.
WISH senior management with Dr Mona Fahad al-Said. (centre)
