Qatar Details National Precision Healthcare Efforts at UNGA Session

HE Minister of Public Health, Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari

The State of Qatar emphasized the global importance of making precision healthcare open to all, on the sidelines of the 79th edition of the United Nations General Assembly.

In a Qatar-hosted session titled Precision Health for All: The Role of International Partnerships, the nation's efforts and ambitions in the field of precision health were outlined to an international audience including scientists, academics, policy experts, and health industry leaders.

Speaking at the session, HE Minister of Public Health, Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari, said: "As part of Qatar National Vision 2030, we are implementing a strategy to refocus healthcare towards delivering precision health. Genomic sequencing and genetic screening programs are currently an integral part of our research agenda and the healthcare system.

"The infrastructure we have established in this field benefits researchers from within and outside Qatar to discover new genes and uncover new disease mechanisms, paving the way for the advancement of biology and medicine, and the discovery of new treatments.

"Qatar Precision Healthcare Institute has mapped the Qatari and broader Arab genome, identifying unique variants related to disease causes and pharmacogenomics.

"These biological samples are stored in a biobank, and this data is currently being applied to provide precision healthcare services in Qatar. And the integration of whole genome sequencing and other omics technologies into Sidra Medicine's newborn screening program is contributing to the early diagnosis of rare diseases.

"We recognize the immense potential for health, wellbeing, and economic benefits in shifting our focus from disease treatment to prevention. Achieving this transformation requires strong global partnerships to enhance healthcare outcomes and make preventative care a cornerstone of medical practice worldwide." 

HE Al Kuwari called on scientists, specialists, thought leaders, and experts to collaborate in realizing the full potential of precision health, both in Qatar and beyond.

Research, Development, and Innovation Adviser to the Chairperson’s Office and Executive Director of Research, Development and Innovation at Qatar Foundation (QF), Dr. Hilal Lashuel, highlighted that more than 80 percent of the genetic data used in research and to develop drugs comes only from people of European descent, which means the vast majority of the world's population – especially those from Africa, Middle East, Asia and Latin America – remain underrepresented in genomic studies.

"This limits our ability to understanding genetic diversity and how it impacts health and disease in other groups," he said. "If a population is underrepresented in research today, it will be under served by the precision health solutions of tomorrow.

"Developing diagnostics and therapies based on data from only one population or ancestry risks reinforcing existing health inequalities and leaving large segments behind."

Dr. Lashuel highlighted that the equity problem cannot be solved by simply collecting samples from different populations as we often see today.

"Achieving equity in genomics and genomic medicine requires more than just diverse datasets," he said. "It demands an intentional, systemic approach to dismantling barriers – barriers to research participation, access to care, technological advancements, and the integration of genomics into healthcare systems.

"It also requires diverse perspectives that are just as important as diverse data sets in working towards creating a future where healthcare is not only personalized, protected, and predicted, but also inclusive."

Senior Associate Dean for Research, Innovations, and Commercialization at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, a QF partner university, Dr. Khaled Machaca, spoke of the importance of recognizing that all countries can contribute to advancing precision health, and while some may not have advanced genomic sequencing capabilities that are on par with the more developed countries, what they do have is the power of data.

Head of the Novartis Foundation, Dr. Ann Aerts, who attended the session, said: "The true yardstick of success of any healthcare effort is how accessible it is to every human, regardless of their location and financial status.

"Qatar and Qatar Foundation have done an exceptional job in setting up a precision health system from the ground up in a short amount of time and more importantly, they haven’t stopped there but are now looking to pass on their knowledge and lessons learned to other countries in the region and further, particularly less developed ones.

"This is a strong testament to their commitment to equity in healthcare and we very much look forward to partnering with them in the near future to make precision health more equitable."

(QNA)