Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Department of Geriatrics and Long-Term Care has been designated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Healthy Ageing and Dementia.
The Collaborating Centre initiative is designed to bring benefits to both parties, including more visibility of key projects and programmes, enabling improved opportunities to exchange information and develop technical co-operation with other international institutions as well as facilitate better access to funding for research and programme development.
Dr Hanadi al-Hamad, national lead, Healthy Ageing in Qatar and chairperson of the Department of Geriatrics and Long-Term Care at HMC, is designated as the head of the Collaborating Centre.
WHO Collaborating Centres are institutions designated by the director-general to carry out activities in support of the organisation's programmes. Currently, there are over 800 WHO Collaborating Centres in some 80 member states working with WHO on areas such as nursing, occupational health, communicable diseases, nutrition, mental health, chronic diseases and health technologies.
HE Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari, Minister of Public Health, praised this unique co-operation between Qatar, represented by the Ministry of Public Health and WHO, which is the third Collaborating Centre, which confirms the strong focus and commitment to local healthcare.
Dr al-Hamad said: “While some people age well and remain active and relatively illness free in older age, others are more prone to chronic diseases and disabilities that negatively impact their quality and length of life. This Collaboration Centre will support the WHO by contributing to knowledge and research on healthy ageing, including the importance of integrated care and preventative health literacy promotion.”
Dr Ahmed al-Mandhari, WHO regional director for Eastern Mediterranean, said: “WHO Collaborating Centres are a mechanism of co-operation in which relevant institutions are recognised by WHO as assisting the organisation in implementing its mandated work. These types of collaboration have been supporting the achievement of WHO’s planned strategic objectives at the regional and global levels for over 70 years. The objectives are related to the development and strengthening of national and regional institutional capacity; and enhancing the scientific validity of its global health work.”
“Our older population represent a key pillar in society and a valuable asset to the country – it is therefore fitting that we, the government, invest in promoting health awareness and healthcare services for this population group. This Collaborating Centre provides a framework for how we look after our ageing citizens more effectively,” added Dr Essa al-Sulaiti deputy national lead, Healthy Ageing and medical director of the Home Healthcare Services.