Doha – Five experts, including four alumni from Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q), Dr. Rana Emam, Dr. Alreem Al-Nabti, Dr. Aalia Al-Barwani, and Dr. Emad Mansoor, addressed key community health issues during the latest installments of the “Health and YOU: Community Wellness Series.”

Organized by the Institute for Population Health (IPH) at WCM-Q, the series aims to raise community awareness of health-related topics to enhance self-care, reduce suffering, improve quality of life, and increase healthy longevity.

Dr. Emam, assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at WCM-Q and associate consultant in older adult psychiatry at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), gave a presentation on managing somatic disorders with compassion. She explored the clinical features of the disorders, common diagnostic challenges, and evidence-based approaches to their management. Emphasis was placed on multidisciplinary care, empathetic communication, and validating patient experiences without reinforcing illness behaviors.

In another session, Dr. Al-Nabti, assistant professor of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medicine, U.S., offered practical advice on skin health in hot weather, highlighting the importance of sun protection, hydration, and rash prevention strategies.

The founder and chief medical officer of Albidaya Wellness, Dr. Al-Barwani, presented a webinar on emotional eating and its impact on health. During the session, she discussed why people eat beyond hunger, the mental, emotional, and physical impacts of emotional eating, and offered practical strategies to reshape health through awareness and compassionate change.

Dr. Mansoor, associate professor of medicine at Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, U.S., discussed preventive care, health maintenance strategies, and vaccinations for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Lastly, Dr. Sohaila Cheema, associate professor of clinical population health sciences and assistant dean at IPH, delivered a presentation on the science of walking and its numerous benefits for physical and mental wellbeing.

Dr. Cheema said: “Our webinar series continues to raise awareness of community-relevant health topics and connect the general public with leading health professionals who are experts in their fields. We look forward to continuing to create a meaningful impact on the community’s overall wellbeing.”

Dr. Ravinder Mamtani, professor of population health sciences and vice dean for population health and lifestyle medicine at WCM-Q, and professor of medicine at the Center for Global Health, said: “At IPH, we are committed to providing the community with a trusted platform where people can access vital information to address common health challenges. We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to our expert speakers for helping empower individuals to make informed decisions about their personal health.”

The IPH regularly organizes health education webinar sessions under the title “Health and YOU: Community Wellness Series” that are open to the general public. During the webinars, experts address common health topics facing communities around the world.

About Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar 

Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar is a partnership between Cornell University and Qatar Foundation. It offers a comprehensive Six-Year Medical Program leading to the Cornell University M.D. degree with teaching by Cornell and Weill Cornell faculty and by physicians at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Sidra Medicine, the Primary Health Care Corporation, and Aspetar Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, who hold Weill Cornell appointments. Through its biomedical research program, WCM-Q is building a sustainable research community in Qatar while advancing basic science and clinical research. Through its medical college, WCM-Q seeks to provide the finest education possible for medical students, to improve health care both now and for future generations, and to provide high quality health care to the Qatari population.

For more info, please contact:
Hanan Lakkis
Associate Director, Media and Publications
Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar
hyl2004@qatar-med.cornell.edu