The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) announced that David Miliband is going to be a keynote speaker at the forthcoming global gathering in Doha on 13-14 November. WISH is an initiative of Qatar Foundation (QF).
David Miliband is President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), a New York-based organisation that provides emergency aid and long-term assistance to refugees and people displaced by war, persecution, or natural disaster. It has been in operation since 1933 and currently works in more than 40 countries.
Immediately before joining the IRC in 2013, Miliband was a member of the British parliament, taking on the role of Foreign Minister from 2007 to 2010. He will bring to WISH 2018 his extensive experience as a government representative and as head of a major international non-governmental organisation. His speech is expected to focus on the health impact of conflicts around the world.
Ahead of this year’s summit, representatives from the IRC have joined with representatives from other humanitarian organisations, including the World Health Organisation and Qatar Red Crescent, to compile a special WISH report on health in conflict settings – one of the nine research topics that will form the core of WISH 2018.
Looking forward to his visit to Doha in November, Miliband, said that the summit comes at a critical time, when millions of people around the world – in particular women and girls – are dying from preventable diseases in countries affected by conflict and natural disasters. He said that IRC is delivering healthcare in some of the hardest to reach and most dangerous places.
I look forward to sharing our experience, and to also learn from other leading innovators at the summit.’
WISH Executive Chair, Professor Lord Darzi of Denham, said they are delighted to welcome David Miliband to WISH 2018.
His experience on the international stage as a senior government minister and as head of an organisation that is intimately involved in finding solutions to health challenges faced by people in conflict settings around the world makes him uniquely qualified to speak with nuance and authority about an issue that deserves the attention of our WISH community.’
WISH 2018 will once again gather global healthcare leaders in Doha to highlight and address some of the world’s most pressing health challenges. WISH, which hosts its showcase summit biennially, has quickly established itself as a major highlight of the global healthcare calendar for thousands of high-level policy makers, academics and professionals. It has also become a key platform for the dissemination of healthcare innovation and best practices.
For updates and more information about WISH 2018, visit wish.org.qa.