The Harvard Arab Alumni Association and the HSPH MENA Student Group present:

Public Health Conference

Sunday, November 15, 9:00-15:30

SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH | Kresge Building, G2
677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115

For further information, please email info@harvardarabalumni.org

Conference Program

09:00 - 09:30              Registration Harvard Arab Weekend
                                      at Harvard School of Public Health, Kresge Building
                                      Ground Floor

09:30 - 09:45              Welcome
                                      at Harvard School of Public Health, Kresge G2

09:45 - 10:45              Health Financing in Difficult Times
                                      at Harvard School of Public Health, Kresge G2

11:00 - 12:30              Health Quality and Safety
                                      at Harvard School of Public Health, Kresge G2

12:30 - 13:00              Lunch and Poster Session
                                      at Harvard School of Public Health

13:00 - 13:45              Keynote Address by H.E. Dr. Mohammad Khalife 
                                      at Harvard School of Public Health, Kresge G2

14:00 - 15:15              Human Capital & Social Entrepreneurship 
                                      at Harvard School of Public Health, Kresge G2

15:15 - 15:30              Closing Reception
                                      at Harvard School of Public Health, Kresge G2

Panel Description:

Health Financing in Difficult Times

This panel will focus on financing health systems in times of global economic crisis. Panelists will provide their perspective on the different financing mechanisms in MENA, a region of unique socioeconomic development. The challenges and opportunities faced by local governments to establish equitable and sustainable health systems through changes to the financing “control knob” will be exposed by key experts in the field. 

Moderator

Dr. Nadeem Al-Duaij:  Cambridge Health Alliance

Speakers

Dr. Sameh El-Saharty: World Bank
Dr. Christian Baeza:  McKinsey & Company
 

Health Quality and Safety

The panel on health quality and safety gathers experts on the region to discuss the challenges that MENA faces when seeking to establish high quality health services. They will present ongoing projects that help local institutions build and sustain standards of care. The panel will also discuss successful regional case studies that have focused on health care quality measures and promoting patient safety.

Moderator

Dr. Haytham Kaafarani:  MD, Phd

Speakers

Dr. Imad Al-Hajj: Lebanese Ministry of Health
Dr. John Helfrick: Partners Harvard Medical International
Dr. Rashad Massoud: United States Agency for International Development
 

Human Capital & Social Entrepreneurship

This joint effort between the HSPH MENA Student Group and the HKS Arab Caucus will address the topic of capacity building in MENA. Innovative projects that span from local initiatives that seek to develop public health expertise, foundations that target international humanitarian and social projects, and academic efforts that foster education and research in the MENA.

Moderator

Sara Barclay: Harvard Kennedy School

Speakers

Dr. Nadeem Al-Duaij: Kuwait Health Initiative
Dr. Djavad Salehi-Isfahani: The Dubai Initiative
Dr. Matthew Barnes: American Egyptian Community Foundation