Your Health Is Your Wealth: How Qatar Invests In Wellbeing

In this episode of Qatar 365, we find out how well Qatar is at innovating its healthcare system.

Since 2017, Qatar has invested more than $6 billion in the healthcare sector, including supporting startups that use cutting-edge technology to make healthcare more accessible to everyone.

Avey is a complete health app. Created at the Qatar Science and Technology Park, the app was launched by a Qatari startup in 2017.

It is currently used by more than 1.2 million people in 175 countries. Powered by artificial intelligence, Avey performs self-diagnosis, connects users with doctors around the world, and is an online pharmacist.

"So the idea is that you can say, 'Hey Evie, I have a headache today.'" Can you tell me why? “Avey will [then] translate this speech into text [and perform] a semantic analysis of the text that predicts specific symptoms from the text and then feeds it into an artificial intelligence diagnostic model,” explains Dr. Mohammad Hammoud, Founder and CEO of Avey.

This means that as long as someone has a smartphone, if they feel unwell, they can get medical care from the comfort of their home. Some may say Avey eliminates the need for brick-and-mortar clinics, but the company claims they are revolutionizing healthcare in just a few steps.

“Avey can match your case with the doctor who best fits your case and connect you as a patient with a doctor and prescribe medication. "It's a complete journey from A to Z," Hamoud said.

Avey is just one of many success stories to emerge from QSTP's innovation and incubation program. This organization has helped bring many ideas and products to market by supporting startups and young entrepreneurs. The partnership continues and the next step is to expand the business further.

Immerse yourself in our enclosure

The study of human DNA is critical to understanding and diagnosing human disease. In Qatar, scientists and researchers work with the latest technology to better understand our genetic makeup.

Omics' main laboratory is located at Doha Women's and Children's Hospital. The research center has a system that can facilitate DNA/RNA extraction from various types of samples, including saliva and blood samples.

It has software for DNA genotyping, molecular karyotyping, gene expression, single cell sequencing, and data analysis functions.

In 2003, the first draft of the human genome project was published. The research, which began in 1990, aims to map the entire DNA sequence of the human genome. However, the original design only contained 92% of the total human genome.

However, as technology develops, the 8% gap is getting smaller.

“This means we now know the complete sequence of the human genome,” said Dr. Sarah Tomei, who oversaw the operation. “We know the exact sequence of 3 billion base pairs of the 23 chromosomes of the human genome. “So the human genome is now gap-free.”

Work conducted in the Omics Core laboratory has helped fill this knowledge gap and is now helping us understand how newly discovered variants affect health and disease, explained Dr. Tomei:

“This is extremely valuable because this information can also help understand how the human genome varies and how new variants that are discovered affect health and disease.”

Chiropractor: relieve pain

Startups aren't the only ones changing the face of modern medicine. In Qatar, there is an increasing demand and use of complementary and alternative therapies. More and more people are combining holistic medicine with traditional medicine.

Baber Raheel is a personal trainer and works out regularly. He had never visited a chiropractor before and, despite initial hesitation, said the treatment itself was painless.

“After my first meeting with Dr. Majdi, I noticed a big difference in my balance. My shoulders are much more balanced. And when I went to practice that week, I didn't feel any discomfort in my shoulder. "There was a big difference after my first date," Rachel said.

Chiropractic is a popular alternative to traditional medicine and is said to have few, if any, side effects. Manual manipulation of bone alignment has been shown to reduce some symptoms and relieve chronic pain.

Ayurveda. Treatment techniques from ancient times.

Another popular alternative medicine to traditional medicine is the ancient Indian holistic approach known as Ayurveda. Ayurveda is not just a massage or something that makes you feel good, it is like a way of life.

Bridging the gap between traditional medicine and complementary medicine, Ayurvedic and chiropractic therapies are designed to relieve pain and balance the body. The perfect antidote to an active lifestyle.

Duhail Healthcare Center is the first government-approved healthcare center in the country and Reshmi Vijayakumar is the first licensed doctor in Qatar.

Ayurvedic doctor Reshmi Vijayakumar of the center explains: “We have treatments for various types of health problems and all these health problems can be resolved naturally and holistically, and you know, by addressing the root cause of the disease. problems, for example, we eliminate them from the body instead of suppressing them.'

From creating a thriving startup ecosystem to being at the forefront of genetics research, Qatar is always looking for new ideas in the fast-growing healthcare industry.

Health and YOU series about community well-being. Plastic and human health