WISH 2026 to Examine Healthy Longevity and the Future of Global Health
WISH 2026 puts healthy longevity on the global health agenda
Qatar will host the eighth World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) on November 29 and 30, 2026, at the Qatar National Convention Centre in Doha. Under the theme “The New Health Span,” the gathering will convene international health leaders, policymakers, researchers, innovators and healthcare professionals.
Organized by WISH, an initiative of Qatar Foundation, the summit will consider how societies can ensure that longer lives are also healthier, more dignified and supported by fair access to quality care. The agenda connects medical advances with the policies, services and financing needed to improve physical, mental and social wellbeing.
Five priorities for healthcare systems
WISH 2026 will organize its programme around five themes addressing demographic change, emerging technologies and cross-border health challenges:
- The Longevity Dividend: Ageing research, including work on ageing biology, senescence and epigenetics, and ways to extend health span rather than lifespan alone.
- Financing the Cure: How gene therapies, CAR-T cell therapies and other advanced treatments can be funded and made accessible without placing unsustainable pressure on health budgets.
- AI and Human-Centred Health: The role of artificial intelligence in research, diagnosis and care, with attention to safety, privacy, accountability and public trust.
- Future of Fertility: Fertility preservation, assisted reproduction, gene editing and AI-assisted embryo selection, alongside questions of ethics, access and regulation.
- Health Diplomacy 2.0: International cooperation on challenges including conflict, climate pressures, migration, disease outbreaks and medical supply disruptions.
Research, policy and practical outcomes
The summit aims to connect scientific discovery with real-world healthcare. Four research reports will address healthy longevity, financing advanced treatments, responsible AI in healthcare and the future of fertility, offering analysis and recommendations for policymakers and healthcare decision-makers.
Plenary sessions, panels and roundtables will bring together perspectives from government, healthcare institutions, academia, research, technology, the private sector and civil society. WISH CEO Dr Slim Slama has said the event’s success should be judged by tangible outcomes, including practical policy options.
Qatar’s role in global health dialogue
Established in 2012 as an initiative of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, WISH has built an international platform for healthcare policy, research and innovation. The initiative operates under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation.
The 2026 summit will take place as healthcare systems respond to ageing populations, rising demand for long-term care, costly new treatments and rapid advances in AI. Its central question is how longer lives can be matched by better health, resilient systems and more equitable access to medical advances.
Event details
- Dates: November 29–30, 2026
- Location: Qatar National Convention Centre, Doha
- Theme: “The New Health Span”
This article was prepared using information from open sources in accordance with the principles of Ethical Policy. The editorial team is not responsible for absolute accuracy, as it relies on data from the sources referenced.