"Rethinking Global Health Financing: Priorities and Integration in the Global South"seminar held in Doha

HE Dr Mariam bint Ali bin Nasser al-Misnad, Minister of State for International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has participated in the high-level seminar held as part of the Second Annual Conference of the Doha Initiative on Health Policy in the Global South.The event was organised by the Middle East Council on Global Affairs in co-operation with the Gates Foundation under the title 'Rethinking Global Health Financing: Priorities and Integration in the Global South'. The seminar took place in Doha, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. In her remarks, she emphasised that "this platform holds special significance for Qatar, as it embodies its vision of cooperation, innovation, and collective responsibility in advancing global health. When Qatar supported the launch of this initiative, it did so out of a firm belief that countries of the Global South should not remain mere recipients of policies, but active partners in shaping them — proactive in crafting their own solutions and having a strong voice in the global dialogue about the future of health.”The participants at the seminar included Sheikha Haya bint Abdulrahman al-Thani, director of Strategic Partnerships at the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD); Dr Muyi Aina, director general of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency in Nigeria; and Magdalena Robert, deputy director of Advocacy and Communications at the Gates Foundation. The discussion was moderated by Dr Theresa Madubuko, director of the Doha Initiative on Health Policy in the Global South. The session was also attended by several experts and stakeholders in the fields of health and education, including officials and members of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.During the discussion, the speakers explored changes in the landscape of global health financing and offered practical insights. Magdalena Robert noted that the Gates Foundation is rethinking its approach to health financing in light of declining development aid, stressing the importance of cost-effectiveness and country-led sustainable financing models. She highlighted that the health and education sectors are interconnected and must advance together. She added that philanthropic organisations often take on high-risk investments, particularly in research and development areas that others may avoid, to build local capacities and strengthen national ownership rather than foster dependency.Meanwhile, Dr Muyi Aina discussed Nigeria’s efforts to sustain health and education programmes, noting that "health is the foundation of education, and education is the foundation of health; good education builds a healthy society.”He explained that schools in Nigeria have contributed to vaccine distribution for students using databases that track attendance, revealing that students lacking quality education often live in poor health conditions. He emphasised the importance of training and empowering girls for the workforce and achieving a balance between health and education. From the donors’ perspective, Sheikha Haya reaffirmed the Qatar Fund for Development’s commitment to providing urgent humanitarian aid while pursuing long-term sustainable development that strengthens health systems. She noted that children’s health issues are often addressed through schools, a vital linkage that helps save students’ lives, and emphasised that schools bear responsibility for identifying health challenges facing girls and children. She also pointed to the growing role of Gulf donors in leading scalable and innovative financing models that go beyond traditional aid frameworks and are rooted in national priorities and local ownership.