On 8–10 December 2025, the Qatari Ministry of Public Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) held a capacity-building training-of-trainers workshop on integrated care for older people (ICOPE) for participants from Egypt, Jordan and Pakistan. The workshop was sponsored and generously supported by His Excellency the Minister of Public Health Mr Mansour bin Saad Al Mahmoud.
Introducing ICOPE in countries is a key component of the plan of action of Qatar’s Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) WHO Collaborating Centre for Healthy Ageing and Dementia to build capacity for implementation of the Global Decade for Healthy Ageing (2021–2030). Introduced in 2022, the programme is an important model of integration and cooperation among key stakeholders, such as HMC and Qatar’s Primary Health Care Corporation. Working together, these institutions are helping to translate WHO frameworks into locally relevant, person-centred services that reflect international best practices.
Supported by the three levels of WHO – headquarters, the Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean and four country offices – the workshop provided an example of solidarity, resilience and response amidst the financial crisis facing WHO. Despite recent global reductions in external health aid, WHO continues to provide technical support to essential initiatives to equip the health workforce with the knowledge and tools required to deliver comprehensive and coordinated care to older persons.
Bringing together technical officers from four Member States in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, as well as WHO focal points from Egypt, Jordan and Pakistan, the workshop reflected a shared commitment to strengthening integrated, person-centred care for older persons across the Region.
The Collaborating Centre’s team was led by Dr Hanadi Al Hamad, National Health Strategy Lead for Healthy Ageing at the Ministry of Public Health and Chair of the Geriatrics and Long-Term Care Department at HMC. Dr Yuka Sumi and Dr Matteo Cesari from WHO headquarters, and Dr Samar El Feky from the WHO Regional Office, worked together with the Collaborating Centre to develop the workshop’s curriculum.
Dr Rayana Ahmed Bou Haka, WHO Representative in Qatar, highlights that the training provided an important partnership model and successful example for intercountry cooperation. The training-of-trainers approach allows ICOPE introduction to be cascaded within each country, supported by WHO country office focal points and participants from national institutions.
Qatar’s ongoing collaboration with WHO and partner countries is combining global expertise, regional technical support and national commitment to advance high-quality, integrated care for older persons in the Region.
