Over the years, the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) has become a major event in the world health conference calendars.

The fourth edition of the WISH conference kicked off at the Qatar National Convention Centre amid great fanfare.

A host of VIP guests, the most notable among them being HH The Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and Qatar Foundation Chairperson HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, attended the proud opening ceremony, reported Gulf Times.

This year, a record number of international policymakers, health experts and government ministers are attending the summit, with the numbers reaching over 2,000 from more than 100 countries.

Sheikha Moza helped usher in a new phase of precision medicine in Qatar when she became the first recipient of the Qatari gene chip (Q-chip) at the opening ceremony, said another report in the Gulf Times.

The Q-Chip was handed over to Sheikha Moza by Qatar’s Minister of Public Health HE Dr Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari.

“Your Highness, you set a target for medicine and research in Qatar and now your vision is real. This chip signifies the beginning of a new era in personalised medicine in Qatar,” said Al Kuwari while handing over the chip.

“The Q-chip contains over half a million DNA mutations and variants that can be used in diagnosing various diseases as well as in national screening programmes,” she added.

“With over 10,000 whole genomes sequenced and Version 1 of the Q-chip, the Qatar Genome Programme is now set to embark on its next phase, which will be geared to clinical applications and personalised medicine,” said the minister.

“We want to understand the genetic heritage of the Qatari population so that we can develop more personalised healthcare in Qatar in the future,” she was quoted as saying by Qatar Tribune.

سمو الأمير الوالد وصاحبة السمو الشيخة موزا بنت ناصر يشهدان انطلاق مؤتمر القمة العالمي للابتكار في الرعاية الصحة "ويش 2018".@QF @WISHQatar #مرسال_قطر #WISH2018 pic.twitter.com/eEXV64KdiD

— شبكة مرسال قطر (@Marsalqatar) November 13, 2018

First announced during WISH 2016, the Qatar Genome Programme has concluded phase 1 of its ambitious plan.

Qatar Genome and Qatar Biobank have been working together with Weil Cornell-Medicine, Sidra Medicine and Hamad Medical Corporation to make the programme a reality.

The key message on the first day of WISH 2018 was that collaboration across borders and disciplines, and a willingness to share innovative solutions to address the most serious global medical issues, provides the best opportunity for positive change. 

Delegates also had an opportunity to visit the Innovation Hub, an interactive space featuring more than 50 innovators and WISH partner exhibitors.