The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), an initiative of Qatar Foundation (QF), has announced that viral hepatitis will be one of nine research topics that will form the focus of the WISH 2018 conference.
WISH 2018 will take place at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) from November 13-14.
Viral hepatitis, a disease of the liver caused by an infection that results in the death of around 1.34mn people globally per year, will be investigated by an international group of experts in the field of infectious diseases in the months leading up to November’s summit. The group’s findings will be presented in a report that will be published in time for WISH 2018 and will be discussed in depth during a panel session to be held during the prestigious event.
The aim is for the report to produce policy recommendations that can have a positive impact on the management of viral hepatitis and support global efforts being made to prevent transmission – particularly in vulnerable populations.
The WISH research group is being led by Prof Margaret Hellard, deputy director, Burnet Institute, which is based in Melbourne, Australia. Prof Hellard boasts more than two decades of clinical and research expertise, including using new technologies, such as social media, for health promotion and prevention interventions.
Prof Hellard said, “I agreed to chair the WISH viral hepatitis forum because the vision and mission of WISH strongly aligns with what I believe is currently required from the global healthcare community. The World Health Organisation has set ambitious targets to eliminate hepatitis B and hepatitis C as a public health threat by 2030. This is achievable, but it requires a sustained approach. The event will bring together the world’s leading experts and decision makers to discuss the major policy and health system barriers to achieving viral hepatitis eradication.”
Sultana Afdhal, acting CEO, WISH, commented, “Qatar has a long history of supporting efforts to combat viral hepatitis and thanks to a successful screening and vaccination programme, it has one of the lowest incidences of viral hepatitis globally.
Indeed, HE Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari, Minister of Public Health, chaired a meeting at last year’s World Health Assembly in Geneva that emphasised the importance of making a determined effort to deal with viral hepatitis and other communicable diseases.”
WISH 2018 will feature nine groundbreaking research forums, each led by an internationally renowned expert in their field. Between them, the forums will highlight and address some of the world’s most pressing challenges across topics that cover medical, ethical, technological, and humanitarian aspects of healthcare.
Viral hepatitis, a disease of the liver caused by an infection that results in the death of around 1.34mn people globally per year, will be investigated by an international group of experts in the field of infectious diseases in the months leading up to November’s summit. The group’s findings will be presented in a report that will be published in time for WISH 2018 and will be discussed in depth during a panel session to be held during the prestigious event.
The aim is for the report to produce policy recommendations that can have a positive impact on the management of viral hepatitis and support global efforts being made to prevent transmission – particularly in vulnerable populations.
The WISH research group is being led by Prof Margaret Hellard, deputy director, Burnet Institute, which is based in Melbourne, Australia. Prof Hellard boasts more than two decades of clinical and research expertise, including using new technologies, such as social media, for health promotion and prevention interventions.
Prof Hellard said, “I agreed to chair the WISH viral hepatitis forum because the vision and mission of WISH strongly aligns with what I believe is currently required from the global healthcare community. The World Health Organisation has set ambitious targets to eliminate hepatitis B and hepatitis C as a public health threat by 2030. This is achievable, but it requires a sustained approach. The event will bring together the world’s leading experts and decision makers to discuss the major policy and health system barriers to achieving viral hepatitis eradication.”
Sultana Afdhal, acting CEO, WISH, commented, “Qatar has a long history of supporting efforts to combat viral hepatitis and thanks to a successful screening and vaccination programme, it has one of the lowest incidences of viral hepatitis globally.
Indeed, HE Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari, Minister of Public Health, chaired a meeting at last year’s World Health Assembly in Geneva that emphasised the importance of making a determined effort to deal with viral hepatitis and other communicable diseases.”
WISH 2018 will feature nine groundbreaking research forums, each led by an internationally renowned expert in their field. Between them, the forums will highlight and address some of the world’s most pressing challenges across topics that cover medical, ethical, technological, and humanitarian aspects of healthcare.
