DOHA: The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), an initiative of Qatar Foundation (QF), will host its seventh edition of WISH Summit in Doha today and tomorrow. This year’s theme is Humanizing Health: Conflict, Equity, and Resilience.
Over two days, more than 3,000 health policymakers, innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, and practitioners will convene at Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) to look for innovative solutions to some of the world’s most significant health challenges.
This year, WISH has partnered with the World Health Organization (WHO) to develop three WHO-led collaborative research projects, generating evidence-based reports for in-depth discussion at the summit. These reports will focus on topics that urgently require the attention of the global health community. This partnership underscores a joint commitment to enhancing policy and practice.
Additionally, local and international partners will collaborate with WISH to produce summit reports covering various issues including health systems, ethics, physical health, and mental health. WISH 2024 will continue to emphasize the need for regional perspectives on global health and the importance of translating research into practical solutions with real-world impact.
Protecting health in armed conflict is one of the research topics being discussed at the Summit.
Advisor, Policy Hub at Qatar Foundation Sultana Afdhal discusses about this important and crucial topic.
What are the primary challenges to accessing healthcare in today’s conflict zones, and how do these challenges affect the overall health of the population?
Attacks on healthcare personnel and infrastructure are devastating for the communities that they serve. A hospital that has come under attack and is no longer able to provide care will see the sick and injured go untreated, the spread of disease, the collapse of mental health and many longer-term health consequences. In addition to that, the provision of routine care is severely disrupted, for example the provision of cancer care treatment, dialysis and even routine medicines – something so many of us take for granted – becomes a matter of life and death.
How have armed conflicts specifically impacted public health infrastructures, and what are the immediate consequences for the community? Please support with examples.
Military strategies developed by some actors in the region now deliberately target the provision of healthcare services, with the specific objective of breaking the spirit of the people living in that environment, in particular, women and children. What you are seeing now in Gaza is the destruction of the support services specifically designed to demoralizing of the population. This is what our new WISH report, published jointly with WHO seeks to address – to remind political leaders that attacks on healthcare can never be justified.
Paramedics carry a wounded Palestinian youth out of an ambulance upon his arrival at the Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis for treatment, in the southern Gaza Strip.
How do non-governmental organizations (NGOs) contribute to health protection in conflict settings? Can you share examples of effective interventions?
Unfortunately, it is often the case that NGOs are left to pick up the pieces. When conflicts end, and the media coverage moves on, it is the NGOs that remind in country supporting communities and the most vulnerable. Sadly, we have heard too many examples of this. Our local partners such as the likes of the Qatar Red Crescent Society, Qatar Charity and the Qatar Fund for Development are all contributing to efforts on the ground in the region. We are also proud to collaborate with international partners – Emergency NGO, an Italian organization gave us incredible accounts of how they’ve tried to continue to provide basic health services in some of the most challenging environments in Sudan. Indeed, WISH 2024 saw a session dedicated to “Sudan, the forgotten war”. This tells us everything.
A WHO-led multi-agency mission accessed Al-Shifa Hospital in north Gaza.
What are the potential long-term psychological effects of conflict on children, and how might these impact their development into adulthood?
Children exposed to conflict may experience long-term psychological effects such as PTSD, anxiety, and depression. These trauma-related conditions can disrupt cognitive, emotional, and social development, leading to difficulties in education, relationships, and employment. Unaddressed, these issues often persist into adulthood, affecting overall well-being and societal integration. This is something that WISH has looked at in great detail, the adverse effects of childhood trauma – and is something we’ve long recommended screening for.
How can the international community better support health initiatives in armed conflict zones? What role do you believe governments should play?
The response is of course multifaceted - the international community can enhance health initiatives in conflict zones by funding medical aid, protecting healthcare workers, and facilitating safe access to vulnerable populations. Then there is the political side, Governments should prioritize diplomacy to ensure humanitarian access, allocate resources, and enforce accountability for attacks on health facilities, promoting stability and continuous health support. We are proud to say that WISH 2024 will see the launch of a new global alliance of State and non-State actors who will take the message to our political leaders that we must do more to protects health and healthcare workers who find themselves in armed conflict settings.
A doctor performs a medical check on a patient at a hospital in Tokar in Sudan.
What strategies have proven effective in promoting physical and mental health recovery in communities emerging from conflict?
Effective strategies for recovery in post-conflict communities include trauma-informed mental health services, rebuilding healthcare infrastructure, and community support programs. Empowering local leaders, creating safe spaces, and promoting economic opportunities also enhance resilience. Education and social cohesion initiatives foster a supportive environment, facilitating long-term physical and mental health recovery.
How important is collaboration between local governments, international organizations, and communities in the rebuilding of health systems post-conflict?
Collaboration between local governments, international organizations, and communities is essential for rebuilding post-conflict health systems. It ensures culturally appropriate care, resource sharing, and capacity-building, fostering sustainable healthcare solutions. Community involvement enhances trust and relevance, while international expertise and funding address critical gaps, accelerating recovery and long-term health resilience. But as we have set out previously – NGOs and the wider community has a critical role to play in rebuilding devastated health systems. By contributing to the rebuild, communities will once again own the facilities that serve them.
Please comment about Qatar’s role in protecting healthcare in conflict zones.
Qatar plays a critical role in protecting health in armed conflict – we already know the vital role played by Qatar based organizations play on the ground, and now, with the publication of the new WISH/WHO report on protecting health in armed conflict, Qatar is uniquely placed to advocate at the political level . It is my great hope that taken together, Qatar continues to play a significant and leading role in ensuring that international humanitarian law is upheld, and that the international community can work together to ensure that our health workers, our hospitals, our community care initiatives are free from the devastation of war.
