WHO Collaborating Centre for Healthy Ageing and Dementia

Welcome Message from the Head of WHO Collaborating Centre for Healthy Ageing and Dementia

Qatar’s population is growing exponentially, and this is resulting in a rapidly growing number of older adults. While some people age well and remain active and relatively illness free in older age, others are more prone to chronic diseases and disabilities that negatively impact their quality and length of life. This Collaboration Center (CC) will support the World Health Organization (WHO) by contributing to knowledge and research on healthy ageing, including the importance of integrated care and preventative health literacy promotion.

Dementia risk reduction, management and care is another important area for joint collaboration that will benefit from this CC. In Qatar, we are already doing a lot in terms of research in the field of healthy ageing, geriatric as well as Dementia care, and promoting integrated care for patients living with Dementia and we are happy to share our findings with the WHO and other Collaborating Centers interested in the same field.

This CC designation will help grow the collaborative efforts already in existence between relevant WHO teams and HMC teams. We are excited, passionate, and optimistic about the outcomes from our CC and the positive impact it will have on families and societies in Qatar and the world.

“WHO Collaborating Centers are a mechanism of cooperation in which relevant institutions are recognized by WHO as assisting the Organization in implementing its mandated work. These types of collaboration have been supporting the achievement of WHO’s planned strategic objectives at the regional and global levels for over 70 years. The objectives are related to the development and strengthening of national and regional institutional capacity; and enhancing the scientific validity of its global health work.” - Dr. Ahmed Al Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean