The Last Word Sunday, May 10, 2020 15 QF, WISH to assess impact of COVID-19 on mental health Online event will see experts from and around the world share perspectives on challenges to mental wellbeing in a lockdown world

Tribune News Network

An international line-up of ex- perts will focus on the global impact of COVID-19 on peo- ple’s mental health in an online edition of ’s Speaker Series to be organised next week in collaboration with the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH). Health fears, social distanc- Dr Sharifa al Emadi Paola Barbarino Dr Devora Kestel Dr Janice Cooper Yasmin Mogahed Paul Farmer ing guidelines, the need to self- isolate and the widespread dis- The virtual interactive Health and Substance Abuse, project advisor – Global Men- sion of mental health services ers from its global community speakers have included UN ruption to daily life caused by event, titled Global Perspec- World Health Organization; tal Health, The Carter Center. both now and in the future. can advance the conversation leaders and climate change ex- the pandemic are taking their tives: Mental Health in a COV- Dr Sharifa al Emadi, executive To be moderated by jour- Through its biennial Doha about the future of healthcare, perts, athletes, entrepreneurs toll on the mental wellbeing of ID-19 World, will take place director of Doha International nalist and documentary-maker summits and year-round ac- share knowledge and unlock and innovators, film-makers people around the world. at 2pm on Wednesday, May Family Institute, a member of Mishal Husain, the event will tivities, WISH – QF’s global new insights. and journalists, and Hassan The Education City Speaker 13, and will open up insights Qatar Foundation; Paola Bar- tackle topics such as how fami- health initiative – brings to- Launched in 2018, the Ed- Al Thawadi, secretary-general Series will explore the mental on this topic from Qatar and barino, chief executive of Alz- lies can safeguard their mental gether healthcare leaders, ucation City Speaker Series has of the Supreme Committee for health challenges that corona- around the world, with its on- heimer’s Disease International; health during lockdown, the practitioners and innovators since become one of QF’s most Delivery & Legacy. virus and the global lockdown line audience being invited to Paul Farmer, CEO of UK-based challenges that social distanc- in a combined effort to build a popular platforms for dialogue, To watch and participate in it has forced continue to pose, put questions to the experts mental health charity MIND; ing create for elderly and vul- healthier world through inno- enabling its audience to both the online edition of the Educa- and the support that needs to during the discussion. Yasmin Mogahed, author and nerable members of society vation and collaboration. Cen- hear from and interact with tion City Speaker Series at 2pm be provided to those struggling Speakers will be Dr De- international public speaker; and their families, and what the tral to WISH’s events are panel expert speakers on the key top- next Wednesday, visit www. to cope. vora Kestel, director of Mental and Dr Janice Cooper, senior pandemic means for the provi- sessions where thought-lead- ics shaping the world. Previous qf.org.qa/ecss continues training QCRI webinar series focuses on tackling coronavirus challenges Tribune News Network Team Qatar despite pandemic Doha THE Qatar Computing Re- QD aims to graduate debate students to represent Qatar at international championships search Institute (QCRI), part of Hamad Bin Khalifa Tribune News Network University (HBKU), re- Doha cently presented two online lectures titled ‘Managing QatarDebate Center (QD), Health Services during Pan- a member of Qatar Foun- demics and Epidemiologi- dation (QF), has continued cal Modeling’, as part of its Dr Mohamad Saad Dr Sanjay the training of Team Qatar webinar series developed in through online platforms as line with a vision to intro- mobility between infected part of the measures to con- duce solutions to significant areas. It gave examples dem- tain the spread of the corona- scientific or technological onstrating that, using recent virus (COVID-19). challenges. techniques of automatic dif- QD aims, through the The context for the lec- ferentiation, it is possible for training, to graduate debate tures was the COVID-19 pan- researchers to run complex students to represent Qatar at demic and its unprecedent- numerical optimisation on the international champion- ed challenges for healthcare epidemiological models and ships and forums. systems across the globe. obtain accurate results. Since the pandemic has This includes establish- Dr Mohamad Saad, a affected all spectra of life and QatarDebate aims to graduate debate students to represent Qatar at Alanoud al Thani ing a balance between the research scientist in the changed the methods of educa- the international championships and forums. often-conflicting demand of of public health. Data Analytics group at tion, it has become imperative “We all know that we can- responding directly to the Speaking after the lec- QCRI, said: “Epidemiologi- for QatarDebate to keep pace not do the same things we pandemic, while simultane- ture, Dr Faisal Farooq, prin- cal models help us to plan with the practical plans in the used to do before the pan- ously engaging in strategic cipal scientist and head of effective control strategies country without disrupting the demic. However, there is an planning and coordinated digital health research at to best manage outbreaks precautionary measures taken urgent need for positivity and action to maintain essential QCRI, said: “Emerging tech- such as COVID-19. In this by the leadership in Qatar. support. Receiving praise for health service delivery. nologies have been instru- lecture, we have shown that The centre has started to what we’re doing motivates us The lectures titled ‘Man- mental in helping health- traditional models can be follow its activities remotely to continue our efforts more aging Health Services dur- care systems cope with the extended to further model and continued to train Qa- seriously,” she added. ing Pandemics’ discussed overwhelming demands more complex dynamics to tar National English Debate Mohamed Khider, Arabic how health services respond ushered in by COVID-19. give us accurate, and there- Team, Qatar National Arabic Debate instructor, said: “Qa- to this dual set of demands. This has also exposed sev- fore, more useful results. Debate Team, as well as the tar National Arabic debate It explored operational eral areas in the healthcare This is particularly signifi- junior team. team has continued its train- planning guidelines from sector that could benefit cant as governments pre- Team Qatar Training is ing through distance learning the World Health Organiza- from modern technology to pare for easing lockdowns.” designed to prepare the na- tools. While the initial plan for tion (WHO), as well as the be better prepared should a Managing Health Ser- tion’s top school debaters to Team Qatar training this sea- best practices employed by future event equally or more vices during Pandemics was compete with the best debat- quickly and speak with sub- with online trainings.” son was limited to the end of some of the more mature devastating than COVID-19 delivered by QCRI’s Dr Ste- ers from across the world at stance. Alanoud al Thani, a 12th March, team members insist- health systems in the devel- take place.” fano Giovanni Rizzo, Dr Mo- the World Schools Debating Mubarrat Wassey, English grade student from Qatar ed on continuing the weekly oped world. These provide The fourth lecture in hamad Saad and Dr Sanjay Championship (WSDC). Once debate instructor, QatarDe- Academy Doha, is the English exercises remotely. Through guidance on targeted ac- the series, Epidemiological Chawla. The Epidemiologi- intensive selections are com- bate, said: “Due to the COV- debate team captain. She is a these sessions, the team tions that countries should Modeling, discussed epide- cal Modeling webinar was plete, the team will go through ID-19 pandemic, the in-person returning member from last meets within a plan based on consider at national, region- miological models and the delivered by Dr Faisal Fa- rigorous training sessions. WSDC has been officially post- year. She was the team’s high- three aspects: debating skills al and local levels to main- possibility of extending the rooq. Through the training, the poned to early 2021. While est-ranking speaker in her first workshops (advanced level), tain access to high-quality traditional SIR (susceptible- QCRI’s upcoming we- students will learn to speak this has been heartbreaking year, and now plays the role of knowledge content develop- essential health services infected-removed) model to binars, A Data-Driven Per- well by perfecting every aspect for everyone in the team, Qa- senior debater helping others. ment workshops and practis- for all. The lecture also re- simulate outbreak scenarios spective on Drug Discovery of their speaking skills and tar National English debate Alanoud said, “Contrary ing debate. Team Qatar also flected on the critical role of under different policies and and Social Media Analysis, become knowledgeable criti- team has rallied together. On- to what we expected, remote participated in a remote public modern technology includ- country specifics. The lec- will be held on May 11 and 14 cal thinkers on a wide range line trainings were conducted training provides a much less debate with the School Debate ing mobile technology and ture explored simulating respectively. The webinars of issues, be it social, political, even before the final decision opportunity to chat as in face- Team from Kuwait. Moreover, artificial intelligence (AI) in closure or re-opening of spe- are free and can be accessed moral or others. In the end, on the competition was taken, to-face training. However, the team will have several de- managing COVID-19, and cific zones and the relative at https://www.hbku.edu. the training programme will and even while in limbo, the there is space for side-talk bates with debaters from dif- how this magnified its po- change in the overall infec- qa/en/data-science-cov- create batches of intellectual children did not let their spir- from time to time and full- ferent countries in the coming tential impact on the future tions rate by modeling the id-19. Qatari youth who can think its falter. They learned to cope group discussions.” period.” Carnegie Mellon Qatar celebrates graduation of 86 students

to do so, CMU-Q will hold a biological sciences, business The virtual event draws more than 450 formal event to celebrate the administration, computation- class. al biology, computer science unique views as friends and families At the virtual gather- and information systems. gather to recognise graduating seniors ing, Trick outlined how the There are 19 nations repre- CMU-Q community embraces sented in the Class of 2020, Tribune News Network small campus community, tough obstacles: “At Carnegie and 47 percent are Qatari citi- DOHA the faculty, staff, students and Mellon, we look at a problem zens. alumni get to know each grad- as a challenge. We are crea- The Class of 2020 is par- Carnegie Mellon Univer- uating class very well. “We tive, collaborative, practical ticularly distinguished, with sity in Qatar (CMU-Q), a Qa- have watched them grow over and optimistic. This virtual 16 students from all five aca- tar Foundation (QF) partner the last four years, and they in celebration is our way of rec- demic programmes complet- university, celebrated the turn have been excellent role ognising how important the ing a senior honours thesis. graduation of 86 students models for the students that Class of 2020 is to our entire More than half of the stu- of the Class of 2020 at a vir- come after them. I am very community.” dents have been involved in tual event recently. The event proud of these exceptional After the event, more than community outreach during drew more than 450 unique young men and women.” 100 people from the Class of their time at CMU-Q, and views from around the world It is the tradition at CMU- 2020 and the CMU-Q com- nearly two-thirds have stud- as friends, families and mem- Q to hold a formal graduation munity joined a virtual gath- ied abroad. bers of the CMU-Q commu- ceremony where the students ering to chat, share memories This is the 13th graduating nity logged in to support and receive their diplomas. Due The Class of 2020 comprised students from 19 nations, and 47 percent were Qatari citizens. and connect. class from CMU-Q. With the recognise the class. to the pandemic restrictions, The Class of 2020 rep- inclusion of the Class of 2020, Michael Trick, dean of CMU-Q has found creative Graduates will have the for- at a virtual ceremony from campus in Pittsburgh. When resents each of the five pro- the total number of CMU-Q CMU-Q, noted that in the ways to mark the occasion. mal conferral of their degrees the main Carnegie Mellon restrictions ease and it is safe grammes of study at CMU-Q: alumni is more than 900.