Faeturing various new segments and awareness activities, the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) 2022’s Doha Healthcare Week (DHW) began yesterday. The main aim of the drive is to engage the local community by offering a wide range of health and wellness activities for all age groups, aimed at improving both physical and mental health, a week prior to the WISH 2022 Summit.
The Healthcare Week has returned to its physical form for first time since the pandemic began. One of the new features of this year’s DHW is that Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC)’s Mobile Blood Donor Units will be visiting various locations.
WISH is inviting all eligible members of the community to donate blood at the HMC trucks stationed across the country throughout the week. “Through Doha Healthcare Week, we are proud to extend our support to HMC and their ongoing national campaign, which invites members of Qatar’s community to donate blood,” CEO at WISH, Sultana Afdhal, told The Peninsula. “Donating blood saves lives, and there is always a need for healthy people to do so, for the benefit of those who need it for medical procedures like surgeries and after chronic injuries.
"Now that Qatar is gearing up to host one of the biggest sporting events in the world, the need to give blood has now become even more of our collective responsibility, so that we, as a country, are prepared to address the needs of the millions of guests who will be visiting for the tournament. I would urge everyone to step up and make a potentially lifesaving contribution,” she added.
The Mobile Blood Donor Unit will be at Bayt Al Diyafah, Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City, from 8am to 2pm today. Tomorrow, it will be visiting Al Khor Mall main entrance (Gate 3) from 4pm to 8pm. On October 2, it will be at Qatar Red Crescent Msheireb Galleria and at Al Wakra Health Centre’s Female Entrance from 9am to 2pm. On October 3, the donor unit will be at Sidra Medical VIP entrance near the Outpatient Clinic from 8am to 2pm.
Another prominent feature of this year’s WISH Summit and the DHW is using art as a medium to put various healthcare issues in spotlight, and to promote discussions on topics including mental health, disability and substance abuse.
As part of DHW, a photo exhibition ‘Nawaf and Anfal’ opened yesterday at the Fire Station. It will run until October 7. A passionate photographer and Head of Innovation at WISH, Mahmoud El Achi, has captured beautiful expressions of two young Qatari children Nawaf and Anfal, students at Shafallah Center. He believes that art is an effective way to combat prejudices and stigmas that are often held against those with disabilities, including Down syndrome.
After having his personal views about disabilities and the people it affects changed at a photo exhibition that he visited in Sweden earlier this year, El Achi wants the public to get a glimpse into the lives of these 10-year old children through his photo exhibition.
“Both children love to go to school, very active, spread their love and affection wherever they go. The exhibition invites everyone to know about Nawaf and Anfal, and understand them and many others like them, and to see a person beyond their disability. I hope this exhibition will help people to change their perspective about people with disabilities as an exhibition made a change in myself,” said El Achi.
To mark the Breast Cancer Awareness Month, WISH has partnered with Qatar Cancer Society for a Cancer Awareness Walk which will take place on October 1 at Qatar Foundation’s (QF) Oxygen Park, as well as a social event at Qatar National Library (QNL) the following day.
DHW will conclude with an edition of QF’s Education City Speaker Series at the Library on October 3, hosting Dr. Victor Santiago Pineda, a Venezuela-born social development scholar, serial social impact entrepreneur and disability rights expert. The full program of Doha Healthcare Week can be seen at dohahealthcareweek.com.
