Doha, March 22 (QNA) - Qatar National Health Strategy Lead for Healthy Ageing, Dr. Hanadi Al Hamad hailed on Wednesday the State of Qatar's important role within the World Health Organization, which had a positive impact on many global health policies and plans.
Al Hamad, also Medical Director of Rumaila Hospital and Qatar Rehabilitation Center at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), said in statements to Qatar News Agency (QNA) that the State of Qatar's many initiatives in various disciplines and health programs as part of the cooperation with the WHO in recent years contributed to the development of the health sector locally and globally.
Based on its belief and confidence in the State of Qatar's positive role at the international level, the WHO appointed many Qatari medical leaders in a number of its committees to contribute their ideas and experiences in enriching international health work, and to play key roles in formulating advanced health policies that will have a significant impact on further developing the health sector globally, Al Hamad said.
The cooperation with the WHO is not a spur of the moment, she added, pointing out that the health and care of the elderly in Qatar has been a focus of attention for years, as the goal was to provide them with comprehensive care at the latest level reached by the world. She highlighted that her appointment as Qatar National Health Strategy Lead for Healthy Ageing came after communicating with the WHO and seeing the national efforts made in caring for the elderly and after reviewing the international agenda and international standards for the care of the elderly and within the national strategy of the Ministry of Public Health.
The efforts focused on the conformity with the WHO's requirements and standards, Al Hamad said, highlighting the cooperation between a team from the Ministry of Health and the Elderly Administration at Hamad Medical Corporation regarding the work of the national plan for dementia in 2018. She also highlighted the efforts in cooperation with the WHO to create a national plan for healthy aging, and the communications amid the Covid-19 pandemic to face the challenges facing the elderly, as well as the exchange of local and global experiences.
The WHO selected as a member of its technical advisory team concerned with integrating the workforce in the fields of health and care for the safety and care of the elderly during the Covid-19 pandemic, she said, adding that the team is working on developing the first global source of policies in the field of integrating the workforce in the areas of health and social care, with a clear focus on integrating care workers in their various specialties as part of integrated health services that focus on the individual and strengthen primary health care systems.
The WHO is developing global policy options to support its Member States, including Qatar, for the gradual integration of their health and care workforce in the areas of health and social care, Al Hamad added, stressing that the group will have many public contributions to the WHO, and that the presence of a representative of the State of Qatar means that the decisions emanating from the group include local and Arab inputs in this field.
She added that working closely with the WHO over the past years resulted in the selection of the Geriatrics and Long-term Care Department at HMC as a collaborating center with the WHO in the field of healthy aging and dementia care.
Al Hamad added that the WHO cooperation centers are institutions appointed by the Director-General of the organization to implement activities to support the WHO's programs, as there are currently more than 800 cooperation centers with the WHO in more than 80 member countries that work with the organization in the fields of nursing and occupational health, infectious diseases, nutrition, mental health, chronic diseases and health technologies.
In May 2021, the WHO chose Al Hamad for membership in its external review group for elderly affairs, as this group is concerned with providing a review of the implementation of the medical guidelines set by the organization, and ensuring that they conform to international best practices in terms of medical advice and support provided for the elderly.
Al Hamad was also a member of the Global Network on Long-Term Care where she contributed to setting and drafting guidelines for implementing the global strategy and action plan of the WHO on healthy aging, especially in the field of long-term health care provided to the elderly.
During the peak period of the Covid-19 pandemic, she also actively contributed to the preparation of a review of the WHO program on infection prevention in long-term care facilities for the elderly, with the aim of ensuring the protection of groups most vulnerable to infection with this epidemic. (QNA)