The Doha Global South

The Middle East Council on Global Affairs and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, have officially launched the Doha Global South Health Policy Initiative. To kick off this initiative, a high-level panel discussion titled “Enhancing Primary Healthcare Access in the Global South: Challenges and Solutions” was held on February 19, 2024, at the Sheraton Grand Doha. The event brought together representatives from nine low-and-middle-income Countries (LMICs) in Africa and Asia, alongside international experts and key stakeholders from Qatar, including the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Qatar Fund for Development, Qatar University, and Hamad Bin Khalifa University.

The Minister of Health of the State of Qatar, H.E. Dr. Hanan Al-Kuwari, delivered the opening remarks, in which she highlighted, “Over the last decade, Qatar has developed enhanced primary healthcare services and infrastructures, focusing on prevention and early intervention to reduce the burden of disease and improve health outcomes.” 

Her Excellency hoped that “through this initiative, in line with the internationally agreed global health strategies, we can collectively contribute to strengthening primary health care in the Global South, investing in its infrastructure, its workforce and its resources. Together we can build healthier, more resilient communities, and achieve the vision of health for all.” 

The event’s closing remarks were delivered by H.E. Lolwah Rashid Al-Khater, Minister of State for International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Qatar, who expressed her gratitude to the organizers and said “focusing on public health issues in the global south aligns very well with the development priorities of the country and the strategic vision of the Qatar Fund for Development.” Her Excellency affirmed Qatar’s commitment to supporting access to primary healthcare in the Global South, while ensuring that this support improves healthcare and development outcomes. She noted the importance of such initiatives for understanding the current barriers limiting progress, by allowing public health administrators and professionals from the Global South to engage more openly and effectively, thus ensuring the success of global efforts. 

Christopher Elias, President of the Global Development Division at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation highlighted the importance of new platforms of dialogue like the Doha Global South Health Policy Initiative: “Over the last 20 years, the world has cut child mortality in half. Unfortunately, in the last decade, we’ve seen that progress slow down” said Dr. Elias. “To get back on track with reaching the Sustainable Development Goals, we need a more comprehensive approach that addresses the needs of community health workers and I’m optimistic that through new partnerships like the one launched today in Doha, offering leaders from the Global South a platform to voice their priorities and challenges, we can once again accelerate progress.” 

Concluding the panel, Dr. Tarik Yousef, Director of the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, outlined the plan of action for the following two days, during which a closed workshop is taking place, and health sector representatives from nine countries in the Global South are meeting to identify the problems they face on the ground and propose solutions to them. He emphasized “Our role is to facilitate these discussions and see how we can collectively help through this platform, which emphasizes knowledge sharing, to identify and establish an agenda for the Global South by the Global South in shaping future health outcomes.” 

Dr. Salih Al-Marri, Assistant Minister of Public Health of the State of Qatar for Health Affairs; Dr. Rana Hajjeh, Director of Programme Management at the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO); Deo Nshimirimana, member of the Africa Regional Immunization Technical Advisory Committee at the World Health Organization and former Director for Immunization and Infectious Diseases at WHO, Africa; H.E. Ms. Joy Phumaphi, Executive Secretary of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance and Former Minister of Health of Botswana; and Dr. Chris Elias, President of the Global Development Division of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation participated in the high level panel discussion. Moderated by Dr. Yousef, the discussion explored how Qatar, drawing from its own invaluable experience and influential role at the World Health Organization (WHO) and other international organizations, can support countries facing challenges in healthcare accessibility.  

The overarching goal of the Doha Global South Health Policy Initiative is to develop a collaborative platform for countries in the Global South to address their healthcare challenges and find actionable solutions to enhance their healthcare systems.  By facilitating dialogue and knowledge-sharing, this initiative aims to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and addressing unmet healthcare needs in LMICs through both technical expertise and financial support. This initiative’s vision is to drive tangible improvements in global health, advancing towards a healthier and more equitable future. 

For Information: https://www.doha-gshi.com/

Media Coverage:  Al Sharq, The Peninsula, Doha News, Gulf Times, Qatar News Agency, Al Arab, Al Raya