WONCA NEWS July 2023 + WFDD 2023 Report

Y E A R S

WONCAPRESIDENT DRANNASTAVDAL(NORWAY)

EMAIL:PRESIDENT@WONCANET TWITTER:@ASTAVDAL

PRESIDENT-ELECT ASSOCPROFKARENFLEGG(AUSTRALIA)

EXECUTIVEMEMBERATLARGE& HONORARYTREASURER PROFVALWASS(UK)

EXECUTIVEMEMBERATLARGE DRMARÍAPILARASTIERPEÑA(SPAIN)

EXECUTIVEMEMBERATLARGE PROFSHABIRMOOSA(SOUTHAFRICA)

REGIONALPRESIDENT,WONCAAFRICA DRDANABUBAKAR(NIGERIA)

REGIONALPRESIDENT,WONCAASIAPACIFIC ASSOCPROFMOHAMMADHUSNIJAMAL(MALAYSIA)

REGIONALPRESIDENT,WONCAEAST MEDITERRANEAN PROFTAGHREEDMOHAMEDFARAHAT(EGYPT)

REGIONALPRESIDENT,WONCAEUROPE PROFSHLOMOVINKER (ISRAEL)

REGIONALPRESIDENT,WONCAIBEROAMERICANACIMF ADJ/PROFJACQUELINEPONZO(URUGUAY)

REGIONALPRESIDENT,WONCANORTHAMERICA DRJEFFMARKUNS(USA)

REGIONALPRESIDENT,WONCASOUTHASIA DRTARIQAZIZ(PAKISTAN)

YOUNGDOCTORS'REPRESENTATIVE DRSANKHARANDENIKUMARA(SRILANKA)

WONCACHIEFEXECUTIVEOFFICER DRHARRISLYGIDAKIS

WONCAWORLDSECRETARIAT WORLDORGANIZATIONOFFAMILYDOCTORS AVENUEDESARTS7-8

1210BRUSSELS BELGIUM

EMAIL:SECRETARIAT@WONCANET PHONE:+32(0)23290075

WONCAEDITOR MARIADOLORESZAVALA

EMAIL:EDITOR@WONCANET

TRANSLATIONS

DRJIEGU

DRHUAYANG

FROM THE PRESIDENT

WONCA SYDNEY HOC CHAIR: MAY 2023

WONCA CONFERENCES

WONCA SYDNEY 2023

SAVE THE DATES

IN MEMORIAM

MUSTAPHA AMINU TUKUR

WONCA MEMBERS

WONCA & WHO NEWS

TOWARDS THE 2023 UN HIGH-LEVEL MEETING

WONCA REGIONS

DISCOVER THE WINNERS OF THE WONCA EUROPE SPECIAL PROJECT FUND

FRONT-LINE WARRIORS: THE EVOLVING ROLE OF PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS IN SOUTH ASIA

WP & SIGS NEWS

A CALL FROM FAMILY DOCTORS TO SECURE A JUST AND EQUITABLE TRANSITION TO SUSTAINABLE ENERGY AND SAFEGUARD HEALTH FROM THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY

WONCA WP ON RURAL PRACTICE: RURAL ROAD TO HEALTH PODCAST: AMPLIFYING RURAL HEALTH VOICES

YOUNG DOCTOR'S MOVEMENTS

INTEGRATING CARE LEADERSHIP & ADVOCACY PROGRAM

FEATURED STORIES

PRIMARY CARE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

WONCA PAST PRESIDENT, PROF KIDD TO LEAD UNSW'S NEW CENTRE FOR FUTURE HEALTH SYSTEMS

FAMILY R DAY 2023

RT

ANNOUNCEMENTS & UPDATES

PAGE 3

PAGE 5

PAGE 7

PAGE 9

PAGE 10

PAGE 11

PAGE 12

PAGE 17

PAGE 19

PAGE 20

PAGE 22

PAGE 43

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Translate this content into your preferred language using the Google Translate feature on the WONCA website

As I announced in March, WONCA is launching“TheGlobalCoreValuesProject,”a worldwide brainstorming focused on the defining principles and values of Family Medicine.It’sverymuchonmymind.

The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend

Philosopher Henri Bergson

How, I wonder, can we prepare for this important process? So far, I’ve come upon twogoodtips,bothofwhicharefocusedon howweseetheworld.

LOCAL / GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES

We Family Doctors are licensed and obligated to prevent, detect, diagnose, and treat disease; many of those we meet are also facing situational crises. Meantime, we keepoureartothegroundsowecanregister what`s happening around us We bear witness to the impact that minor or major natural, and man-made, disasters have on our community Societal changes, after all, are reflected in healthcare – and in Primary Carefirst.

Meantime, whether we’re aware of it or not, weexperienceandinterpretthislargerworld from our own limited, local perspective. Which gets us only so far! What about other localities?It’snotsoeasytoseelifethrough the eyes of people whose own limited, local perspectiveisvastlydifferentfromours?

The WONCA President must travel. As we head toward the upcoming brainstorming, I’m sure it’s all the traveling I’ve been doing that has foregrounded the astonishing momentswhenalocalperspectiveiscracked open by the world! Books, lectures, firstperson accounts can all teach us about the resources and shortcomings of the world’s communities. But nothing drags our unrecognized, inaccurate assumptions, and projections, into the light as undeniably as actuallygoingsomewhereelse,inperson

Thankstosomanyfar-awayencounterswith Family Doctor colleagues, representatives of otherhealthprofessions,policymakers,and politicians, I’ve had my own worldview thoroughlychallenged!Thatandalltheeyeopening contacts I’ve had with patients, socalled ‘ordinary people’ immersed in contextsverydifferentfrommyown.

I found it’s worth the effort – and, yes, the courage –required to realize and put words to the differences between us and other people, between our contexts and theirs. We’re moved closer to understanding both ourselvesandourfellowhumanbeings.

AND SO, TO TIP NUMBER ONE:

I recently came across an online tool called “Gapminder.” Its designers are an independent, educational, non-profit organization determined to fight global misconceptions

Free-of-charge,theyofferawayto“Upgrade Your Worldview” through exploring the extenttowhichyourassumptionsaboutthe world match the facts (Or, I must admit, don’tmatchthem!)Youcanquicklyseehow close your presumptions are to the verified facts about many areas: migration, the quality of education, poverty, demographic indicators, health indicators, international conflicts, threatened species…to mention onlyafew Youlearnimmediatelyhowmany otherpeopleansweredrightorwrong,based on results gathered from Gapminder’s tests of thousands of people You may be surprised how many of us are simply unawareofbasicfacts

Wecanchoosetoseetheworldaswewishit were.Oraswe’reafraiditmightbe.Butwe’re obviouslymorelikelytomakegooddecisions ifweknowhowitactuallyis

Itookthetest,andIencourageallofyouto do the same. It’s fascinating. Even fun. And perhaps, as they propose, “The world is not asbadasyouthink”

For example ,what do you assume the facts tellusaboutthis:“Whatshareoftheworld`s populationdon`thaveenoughfoodtomeet their daily needs?” The survey offers 3 alternatives:11%,29%or37%

Just so you know, fully 79% of the responders get this wrong! Go to https://wwwGapminderorg and see if you did

TIP NUMBER TWO TO HELP PREPARE FOR OUR BRAINSTORMING:

Another source to help widen our perspective is “The World Values Survey” (WVS). Since 1981, a worldwide network of social scientists has conducted representative WVS national surveys in almost 100 countries This global research project explores people's values and beliefs, how they change over time, and what social andpoliticalimpacttheyhave

Over the years, these WVS results have demonstrated the key role that people's beliefsplayineconomicdevelopment,inthe emergence and flourishing of democratic institutions,intheriseofgenderequalityand equity, and in the extent to which societies’ governmentsareeffective

You can start exploring at: https://wwwworldvaluessurveyorg/WVSCon tentsjsp

The relevance this has for Family Doctors is clear: a hallmark of our profession is our commitment to providing care to all, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or religious beliefs We’re fully awarethatsuchaspectsofourpatients’lives maybevitallysignificanttothem.Weneedto take them into account if we’re to create healing relationships that are personal, basedontrust,andabletoendureovertime –thatis,ifwearetofulfillanotherhallmark ofourprofession:continuityofcare

AS CONFUCIUS SAID…

It’s never too late to have your own misconceptionscorrected!

I look forward to engaging with you in our “GlobalCoreValuesProject"brainstorming

My photo today is in honour of green day A reminder to bring something green to celebrate.Detailstobereleasedsoon.

We have just under 100 days to go to celebrating primary care at RACGP-WONCA Sydney 2023 Our theme “recovery” will be well showcased with a dynamic selection of life after the peak of a global pandemic We know the pandemic tail is long and hard for us and our patients with millions more pushed into poverty. We know there is inequityintheexperienceofCovid,similarto many other chronic diseases intersecting withthesocialdeterminantsofhealth

Butwemustalsoadvocateforourhealthas healthy doctors deliver healthy patient outcomes. I know Professor Heaths plenary willbeahighlightoftheconference.

Dr Iona Heath who has long written on inequity in health care will be presenting a plenary to remind us to “remember who we are” Dr Heath is a brilliant and compassionate speaker who has written widely for the British Medical Journal (BMJ) and is a past president of the UK Royal College of General Practice (RCGP). Health systemsbasedonPrimarycareofferthebest hopeforhealthcareaccessandthereforeas family doctors we become advocates for healthcareforall

AsFamilyDoctorsandGeneralPractitioners, we see the need for advocacy and equity daily I’m reminded of meeting Dr Krupali TappooanAustraliantrainedGPwhoisnow inFiji DrTappoohasbeenpartofdeveloping the only paediatric cardiac centre in the whole of the South Pacific as well as preventive care through rural and remote healthcareoutreach.

DrTappooiscomingtoWONCA Pleaseread about this amazing work developing health equity in the South Pacific. This work has been supported through international collaborations from India, Pacific Islands, New Zealand, USA, Singapore, and Australia to name a few What a few nations can achieve is a wonderful testament to collaborative advocacy which we know especially impacts children With rising food povertyforchildrenofthesouthpacificthere is an urgent need to deliver culturally safe care

Read about this amazing health advocacy hereandhere

DrIonaHeath

DrKrupaliTappoo

We also have an amazing and perhaps challenging plenary panel on cultural safety involving indigenous Australian Associate Professor Brad Murphy, Dr David TipeneLeach, Professor of Māori and Indigenous Research, and Associate Professor Viviana Martinez-Bianchiwhohasexpertiseinhealth equityforLatinAmerica.Thisamazingpanel will be expertly facilitated by well-known equity advocate Dr Tim Senior. How are we all biased? How are our systems stacked against those who most need healthcare? What can we do about it? I look forward to your reflections and questions on this topic We aim for good interactivity at this outstandingconferencesocomepreparedto speak and question. It will be inspiring and for many a once in a lifetime opportunity to seetheinternationalismofprimarycare

ProfessorBradMurphy

DrDavidTipene-Leach

AssociateProfessor VivianaMartinez-Bianchi

S A V E T H E D A T E S

IN MEMORY OF

MUSTAPHA AMINU TUKUR

The WONCA Working Party on Rural Practice and the WONCA Rural Seeds Ambassadors unite in delivering a heartfelt message in memory of Mustapha Aminu Tukur, esteemed WONCA Rural Seeds Ambassador forAfrica

It is with great sadness that we share the news of the tragic passing of Mustapha Aminu Tukur, WONCA Rural Seeds Ambassador for Africa.

Mustapha was a compassionate individual who touched the lives of many in the communities and international networks he served.

We have had the privilege of collaborating with Mustapha over the past two years As a Rural Seeds Ambassador and member of Rural WONCA Council, he was a passionate advocate for rural health who established and coordinated our collaboration with Scholar RX to develop accessible online modules about rural health

In this moment of grief and loss, we extend our heartfelt condolences to Mustapha Tukur’s family, friends, and colleagues.

May he rest in

peace

The Rural Seeds Ambassadors and the WONCA Working Party on Rural Practice

Professor Alan Bruce Chater, Chair, of the Wonca Working Party on Rural Practice extended his condolences especially to his familyandRuralSeedscolleagues.

“His passing has special sadness for the loss ofhiscontributiontoRuralWONCAandRural Seeds”,notedProfessorChater

Dr John Wynn-Jones, Immediate Past Chair WONCA Working Party on Rural Practice wrote: "I wanted to highlight the tragedy of the death of one of our Rural Seeds Ambassadors, Mustapha Aminu Tukur from Nigeria It is always terrible when someone so young, so enthusiastic and so able is taken away from us I again extend our deepest condolences to his family friends and colleagues

The entire WONCA community stands in solidarity with the colleagues and friends of our esteemed colleague, Mustapha Aminu Tukur, as they navigate this painful loss. We offer our deepest condolences during this difficulttime

WONCA WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS

We are thrilled to welcome the Syrian Association of Family Medicine, the World Federation for Mental Health, and the Department of General Practice at the University of Oslo to our growing WONCA family These new additions to WONCA's membership signify an important step towards fostering global collaboration and excellenceinfamilymedicine.

The Syrian Association of Family Medicine’s rejoins WONCA as a Full Member Organization at a crucial time This membership brings more than just the association back into the fold; it presents a vitalplatformforincreasedcollaborationand knowledge exchange with family medicine professionals working under extraordinary circumstancesinSyria AsWONCA,thismove reinforces our commitment to bolster the development of family medicine in the East MediterraneanRegion.Itisasignificantstep that further highlights the importance of resilient healthcare systems, solidifying WONCA’srepresentationinthearea

Additionally, we are pleased to welcome the Department of General Practice at the University of Oslo as our new Academic Member This membership highlights the importance of academic institutions in shaping the future of family medicine and primaryhealthcare

In recognition of its exceptional contributions to mental health, the World Federation for Mental Health is now an Organization in Collaborative Relations with WONCA This collaboration will allow joint initiatives, share resources, and exchange best practices between our two organizations.

These new members bring diverse perspectives and expertise that will greatly contribute to our mission We remain committed to fostering collaboration, supporting professional development, and advocatingforthevitalroleoffamilydoctors in improving the health and well-being of individualsandcommunitiesworldwide

TOWARDS THE 2023 UN HIGH-LEVEL MEETING

TAKING ACTION FOR UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE

The upcoming 2023 UN High-level meeting (UN HLM) on universal health coverage (UHC), scheduled for September, presents a significant platform for countries and stakeholders to revitalize their efforts in achieving health for all This event offers a prime opportunity to reignite momentum andadvancetheglobalagendaofdelivering comprehensivehealthcaretoeveryone.

To ensure effective implementation and accountability, it is crucial to establish an outcome that is action-oriented, emphasizing the development of resilient and equitable health systems, with primary healthcareservingasafundamentalpillar

With the theme of "Universal Health Coverage:expandingourambitionforhealth and well-being in a post-COVID world," the meeting aims to address the pressing challenges faced by countries worldwide in achievingcomprehensivehealthcareforall

Discover more about the upcoming 2023 UN High-level meeting HERE You can also engage,advocateandparticipateusingtheir officialMediatoolkit

With information of https://www uhc2030 org/

DISCOVER THE WINNERS OF THE WONCA EUROPE SPECIAL PROJECT FUND

DearColleagues,

We're excited to announce the two winners of the WONCA Europe Special Project Fund Chosen from a pool of impressive submissions, we are proud to support the followingprojects:

1. semFYC, the Spanish Scientific Society of Family and Community Medicine with partners: You can find the full list of participating partners and the project descriptionhere

Their project, EURODATA Study, addresses equallyworkforcecapacitybuildinginfamily practice in Europe The project aims to describe the official information available regarding PHC patient care during COVID-19 pandemic in the European economic region and OECD countries and build a common dashboard of PHC activity indicators to be shared in European countries and design a common contingency plan to face future pandemic enhancing the role of PHC, based onPHCindicators

2. EQUIP, with partners: You can find the full list of participating partners and the projectdescriptionhere

The aim of the project, Lessons Learned in Primary Care of Value to the Health Sector fromtheCOVID-19pandemic,istopublisha Position Paper that summarises the wide range of topics in publications of the European PRICOV-19 Study This Position paper will make a statement about what actions are needed to improve the preparedness of primary care (PC) in the eventofafuturepandemic,andbywhom.

Both winning projects will be awarded a substantialprizeof5,000EUReach

Please join us in congratulating these winners for their remarkable achievements. We will keep you informed about the progressoftheseprojectsastheybegintheir journeys

Weareproudtobeapartoftheirsuccessand look forward to witnessing their positive impact

CongratulationstothewinnersoftheWONCA Europe Special Project Fund and our gratitude to all participants for their exceptionalsubmissions

You all made this initiative an important success.

On behalf of the WONCA Europe Executive Board,

Shlomo Vinker WONCA Europe

President

FRONT-LINE WARRIORS: THE EVOLVING ROLE OF PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS IN SOUTH ASIA

Authors:

Dr Tariq Aziz, President WONCA South Asia Region (SAR)

Dr. Hina Jawaid, Chair WONCA SAR Primary Care Research Network

Dr Ramakrishna Prasad, Editor WONCA SAR Journal

Compassion, competency, team-work, patient safety and equity are the fundamentalpillarsofprimarycare.Inorder to improve skills and knowledge of primary care physicians (PCPs) and overall quality of work structured training of PC Physicians is essential Furthermore, to achieve universal health coverage in low middle-income countries, the existence and maintenance of robust primary care (PC) system is a must. Multiple efforts are taking place on a day to daybasisinourregiontocontributetowards strengthening of PC system Significant contributions by family physicians in research and academic activities along with defining recommendations and advocacy strategiesforprimarycarehavebeenshared inthissection.

CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION ACTIVITIES HELD IN SOUTH ASIA REGION

1- Primary Care Research Network (PCRN) SouthAsia(Chair:DrHinaJawaid,Secretary: DrRamaKrishnaPrasad)arrangedanonline sessionon:

(i) Leadership & Governance Training For Family Medicine Residents: Lessons from South Africa by Dr Klaus Von Pressentin, AssociateProfessor&HeadDivisionofFamily Medicine, University of Cape Town, South AfricaonSaturday24thJune2023

Themaintakehomemessageofthissession wasthefamilyphysicianstoactasagentsof change and must be included in District Health Management to improve district healthindicatorsofthecountry

2- Educational activities conducted by Dr Basharat Ali, Academic secretary WONCA SAR Thesewereface-to-facesessionsheldin cities of Lahore & Gujranwala, Pakistan. The purpose of these sessions was to provide current, evidence-based clinical information tofamilyphysicians

(I)-A2-dayworkshopon“HospitalAcquired Infection Prevention and Control” by Dr BasharatAliheldon3rd&4thMayandagain on 22nd & 23rd June, arranged by Mercy CorpsPakistanatlocalhotel

(II)- A lecture on “Importance of Research in GeneralPracticeinaconferenceinLahoreon 21stMay2023

(III)- A presentation on TB diagnosis, management and prevention for Family Physicians in a local institution on 9th June 2023

3- Case- based discussions in Family Medicine, are on-going online educational activities held on 2nd June then 9th June 2023 by the department of Family Medicine at University of Health Sciences Lahore, Pakistan These sessions provide a platform forpracticinggeneralpractitioners(GPs)and trainees to discuss complex cases and difficulties in consultations or patient management

4- A good number of practicing family physiciansareregularlycontributinginprint media. Newspaper columns by Family Physicians Dr Hina Jawaid, Dr Abdul Jalil Khan, Dr Naseem Amin Dhedhi and Dr NaureenKazimareasfollows:

1- Providing Healthcare Cover - Universal HealthCoverage:areweheadingintheright direction?published18thJune2023

2-ManagingMeasles

3-TyphoidTroubles

4-UnderstandingMonkeyPox

5-TheVitalVitamin

InthisissueoftheWONCASouthAsiaReport, we highlight two important policy engagements by the Academy of Family Physicians of India (AFPI) held recently in Hyderabad,India.

WONCASOUTHASIA

FUTURE OF FAMILY MEDICINE IN TELUGU STATES: RELEVANCE OF STATE POLICIES AND POSSIBILITIES OF QUALITY MEDICAL EDUCATION

Moderator:

Dr. V. Sreenivas, Dean, College of Family Physicians of India, Academy of Family PhysiciansofIndia(AFPI)

Panelists:

Dr.SantoshKumarKraleti,Member,National MedicalCommission,India

Dr.RamanKumar,FamilyMedicinePhysician & National President, Academy of Family PhysiciansofIndia(AFPI)

Dr Raghu Ram, OBE, Renowned Surgeon, PadmaShriAwardee,andB C RoyAwardee Dr Malleswaramma, Family Medicine

Physician & Deputy Civil Surgeon, Community Health Centre, Vempalli, YSR District,AndhraPradesh

Introduction:

Recently, the two Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have introduced different policies for citizens' health and wellness

In Telangana state, demonstrating its commitment to the people, has launched National Health Mission (NHM) initiatives in the areas of reproductive and child health, institutional deliveries, introduction of new childhood vaccines, and the opening of several new public sector medical colleges, one in each district, and the opening of Basthi (settlement) dawakanas and Palle (Village)dawakanasinafewdistricts,among other things However, some challenges and misdirections are also noted such as unnecessarilyprioritizingtheacquisitionand construction of physical infrastructure (such asmulti-storeyedhealthcarebuildings)anda relative inattention to human resources Without enough medical professionals, such asdoctorsandnurses,theseinitiatives,while laudable, are nonetheless somewhat poor and insignificant A large focus on investing publicfundsinhigh-risehospitalstructuresis often believed to be counterproductive and unrelated to the immediate requirements of people because people's health requires rapidattentionandcare.

In Andhra Pradesh, the government recently launchedtheFamilydoctorprogramme This is a positive, unique and first of its kind initiative at scale in independent India. The government has recruited more than 1000 MBBSleveldoctorstoimplementthisfamily doctor programme While the government's focusisonhealth,thewaythepolicyisbeing translated into practice needs to be reexamined The major caveat with this programmeisthatthedoctorsrecruitedhave neither studied or achieved accreditation in family medicine nor undergone any training in family medicine It is observed that without scientific training, it is futile to implement family medicine and treat patientsacrossthedistrictsofthestateThus it is feared that the state's health initiatives may become counterproductive, inadequatelypeople-centric,andfailtostem the soaring out of pocket expenditure on healththatisbothmarginalizingpeopleand pushingfamiliesintopoverty

Against the above backdrop, the Moderator DrV Sreenivas,DeanAcademicsAFPI,posed two questions to the panelists regarding: 1) The purposefulness of the newly proposed Family doctor programme of Andhra Pradesh,auniquefirstofitskindprogramme in independent India, which is employing MBBS doctors who have not been trained in FamilyMedicine;and2)Theemployment

prospects of about 8500 MBBS doctors who will be graduating soon in Telangana, and thequalityofmedicaleducationwithregard to their preparedness and skills to provide competentprimarycare.

WONCASOUTHASIA

Dr K Santosh Kumar, NMC member from Telangana, emphasized the training of the faculty of all disciplines, as well as the training of the family doctors who are employed in Andhra Pradesh, and explained thesuccessesoftheUSinpromotingFamily Medicine as a distinct clinical speciality He also suggested an exclusive round table conferencewiththeNMCmemberstodiscuss theprospectsofFamilymedicineinIndiabe organized. He extended his full support to thecauseofFamilymedicine.

Dr Raghuram, a renowned Oncologist, cited the experience of the NHS in the UK, and explained how the general practitioners are providinghealthcareservicesinasignificant way He criticized the present specialist drivenhealthcaresysteminIndia Heupheld the role of the family physician as the gatekeeperandthefirstcontactinthehealth care delivery He stressed the need for special training to be given to the MBBS doctors, so that they can render comprehensive,continuousandcoordinated care

Dr. Raman Kumar, AFPI National President, explainedtheneedforbuildingrobustFamily medicineservicestoimprovethehealthcare of India This included the introduction of Family medicine into the undergraduate MBBS curriculum, on par with all the basic subjects, and thus preparing the future doctorstotacklediseaseswithasoundbase of Family medicine. He also focussed on the needtocreateFamilymedicinedepartments at the undergraduate level and also starting Familymedicinepostgraduatecoursesinall medical colleges Only then can Family medicine can be recognised as a speciality withabroaderbase Hebroughttothenotice of the panelists that he had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in this context, and thatthisstrugglewillhavetogoforwarduntil thegoalisreached.

Dr Malleswaramma, Deputy Civil Surgeon, CHC from Andhra Pradesh, narrated her experiences in rendering specialized Family Medicine care in the Community health center (CHC) setting as a family physician, how she diagnoses complex diseases with her family medicine PG training, how she outnumbered the cases of tubectomies and C-sectionsofallotherspecialistsofherarea,

and how she conducted various procedures. But even after her NMC recognised PG qualification in Family medicine, she is not givenherduepromotionasaspecialist She saidthatthisshouldbecorrected

Additional themes and issues that came to light during the panel discussion are listed below

IsthishugespendingnecessarywhentheconditionsofPHCsandCHCs areappalling?

CurrentHealthPolicies andPractices

Whatshouldbethegovernment’spriorityinthecontextofsustainable developmentgoalsplannedtobeachievedby2030?

WhatlessonsthegovernmentshavelearntfromCOVID19 experiences?Howhavetheselessonsbeenincorporatedintothe designandimplementationofthecurrentpolicies?

StatusofMedical Education

Hundreds/thousandsofmedicalstudentswillgraduatesoonfromthe newlyestablishedmedicalcollegesthatarecurrentlyverypoorin termsofinfrastructureandhavingqualitydoctorsandprofessional nurses

Insuchacasehowdoweensurethequalityofmedicaleducation andalsotheiremployability?

Qualityandpeople centricFamily Medicine

Manycountriesintheworldhaveafamilymedicineresidency programme Onlyaftercompletingthreeyearsofrigorouscompetencybasedtraining,theystartfunctioningasfamilyphysicians,family doctors,generalpractitionersandprimarycarephysicians

Whenthisisaworldwideexperience,whyarewefailingtolearn fromtheabove?

InTelangana,duetorestrictiverulesoftheNationalBoardof examinations,variousinstitutionslikeApollo,Yashoda,KIMS,Care, DudduShehwarandDDHhaven’treappliedforaccreditationofDNB FamilyMedicinecourses

Involvementof RegulatoryBodies

Asaresult,currently,onlyoneinstitute-Kaminenihospitalisoffering theDNBprogramme,whileinAndhraPradesh(AP)-onlyPuttaparthi, BathalapalliandNandhyalinstitutesareofferingDNBFamilyMedicine andNRIGunturareofferingMDFamilyMedicine

Participationof people,doctors, nurses,andother professionalsinpolicy formulation.

WhataregapsbetweenStatehealthpoliciesandreallifeconditionsof people?

FutureofMedical EducationandFamily Health

WithregardtoDNBandMDFamilyMedicinecoursesthesituationisnot encouraging ThoughtheNBEstarteda2yearregularcourse-Diploma inFamilyMedicine(DipFM),Telanganadoesnotevenhaveasingleseat yet

Insuchasituation,howdoweaddressbasicneedsofpeopleand establishstandardmedicaleducationanddeliverqualityhealth careforpeople?

WONCASOUTHASIA

After these thorough discussions, Dr Sreenivas concluded that the perspective of giving competency based extra training in FamilymedicinetotheMBBSdoctors,before theycancatertotheneedsofthecommunity as family doctors, has been stated by all the panelists Family medicine specialists must be recruited as specialists into the primary and secondary levels of the health care system. Thousands of MBBS graduates coming out of Telangana medical colleges mustbegiventheopportunitytopursueDFM and DNB/MD Family medicine courses and subsequentlyrecruitedintothepublichealth systematvariouslevels Allthepanelistsfelt the need to increase the investments in primarycare

KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY HONORABLE FORMER CHIEF

JUSTICE OF INDIA (CJI) SHRI N. V. RAMANA (FULL TEXT OF SPEECH)

Read on our website the full text of the inaugural address delivered by Shri Justice N V Ramana, former Chief Justice of India at the two-day first joint conference of Academy of Family Physicians of India (AFPI) of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

TWO STUDIES CELEBRATING AND DOCUMENTING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF PIONEERING FAMILY MEDICINE PHYSICIANS IN ESTABLISHING FAMILY MEDICINE IN SOUTHERN INDIA PUBLISHED IN PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH

Around the world, countries are introducing familymedicinetostrengthenprimaryhealth care, however, the process has been slow Understandingtheimplementationoffamily medicineinanationalcontextiscomplexbut critical to uncovering what worked, the challenges faced, and how the process can beimproved

Thefirststudyexploredhowfamilymedicine was implemented in India and how early cohort family physicians supported the field’s emergence In this qualitative descriptive study, several family physicians who were among the first in India and recognized as pioneers, were interviewed The methodology included using Roger’s Diffusion of Innovation Theory to describe and understand the roles of family physicians,asinnovatorsandearlyadopters, in the process of implementation Additionally,Greenhalgh’sModelofDiffusion in Service Organizations was applied to identify barriers and enablers to family medicineimplementation.

Thisresearchidentifiedmultiplemechanisms by which pioneering family physicians supported the implementation of family medicineinIndia Notably,thestudyshowed that pioneering FPs were: a) innovators who developed the first family medicine training programs;b)earlyadopterswillingtoentera new field and support spread as educators and mentors for future cohorts of family physicians;

c) champions who developed professional organizations to bring together family physicians to learn from one another; and d) advocates who pushed the medical community,governments,andpolicymakers to recognize family medicine’s role in healthcare

Barrierstoimplementationincludedthelack ofgovernmentsupportandawarenessofthe field by society, and tension with subspecialties The study concluded that, in India,theimplementationoffamilymedicine has primarily occurred through pioneering familyphysiciansandsupportiveeducational institutions.However,forfamilymedicineto continue to grow and have the intended impacts on primary care, government and policymakersupportareneeded

Citation and link: Gupta A, Prasad R, Abraham S, Nedungalaparambil NM, BhattacharyyaO,LandesM,etal.(2023)The emergence of family medicine in India–A qualitative descriptive study. PLOS Glob Public Health 3(5): e0001848 https://doiorg/101371/journalpgph000184 8

Facilitators for implementation included the supportive environment of academic institutions and the development of family medicineprofessionalorganizations

In this qualitative descriptive study, the Contribution of Family Medicine to Strengthening Primary Health Care Framework was used to understand the potential mechanisms by which family medicine strengthens primary health care Iterative inductive techniques were used for analysis. This research identified and highlighted multiple mechanisms by which family physicians strengthen primary health care in India including: 1) By being skilled primary care providers themselves; 2) Supporting mid and low-level health care providers’ ongoing training and capacity building; 3) Developing relationships with specialists, ensure appropriate referral systems are in place; 4) When necessary, workwithgovernmentsandorganizationsto access the essential resources needed to delivercare;5)Motivatingtheworkforceand change how care is delivered by ensuring providers’ skills match the needs of communities and engage communities as partners in healthcare delivery. These findings strongly support the need for investments in postgraduate training in family medicine and integrating family physicians into the primary care sector, particularly the public sector, could address healthdisparities Continuereadingthefullarticlehere

We the family doctors, doctors and health professionals of the world call on world leaders to take urgent action to safeguard the health of global populations from the climatecrisis.

Climatechangeisalreadyhavingwidespread impactsonhumanhealth Asfrontlinehealth workers we are increasingly responding to healthemergenciestriggeredbytheclimate crisis Yetinthefaceofincreasingharmand suffering, new fossil fuel resources continue to be developed and greenhouse gas emissionscontinuetorise.

If we are to have any chance of limiting warming to 1.5°C and halting the escalation of the climate health emergency, we must endtheproliferationoffossilfuels

TheWorldHealthOrganizationhascalledfor aFossilFuelNonProliferationTreatyandan endtofossilfuelsubsidies Wethereforejoin these calls, and urge all Governments to adopt the following as urgent health interventions:

• End expansion of any new fossil fuel infrastructureandproduction

• Phase out existing production and use of fossilfuels.

• Remove fossil fuel subsidies and invest in renewableenergy

• Fast track a just transition that addresses the needs of individuals, communities and countries to move away from fossil fuel energy systems towards more diverse, resilient and inclusive economies powered byrenewableenergy

RURAL ROAD TO HEALTH PODCAST: AMPLIFYING RURAL HEALTH VOICES

Discover the Rural Road to Health Podcast, an emission created by Dr Veronika Rasic, Founding Rural Seeds Ambassador, EYFDMEURIPA Liaison and Member of EURIPA Executive Board, Rural WONCA Council Member.

Through conversations with rural clinicians, students, academics, community leaders and policy makers, the podcast it aims to gain insights into the current state of affairs inruralhealthglobally.

RURAL ROAD TO HEALTH PODCAST: AMPLIFYING RURAL HEALTH VOICES

At the beginning of 2023 I created the Rural Road to Health podcast I wanted to find a way to promote and amplify the amazing work and innovation happening in rural communitiesaroundtheworld.Thepodcast focuses on rural health, rural health careers and rural communities globally Through conversationswithruralclinicians,students, academics, community leaders and policy makers it aims to gain insights into the currentstateofaffairsinruralhealthglobally and explore ideas that could help us move towards better access to health services for ruralcommunities.

Ruralcommunitiesarediverseandthereare many different people that are striving to improve healthcare outcomes for these communities.Throughmyengagementwith RuralSeedsandRuralWONCAIhavehadthe opportunity to meet many inspiring clinicians For this reason, I started first by sharing the voices of the rural primary care team

As the podcast develops, I hope to bring forward more stories of community led initiatives, as well as social, cultural, economic, and political factors that affect thehealthofruralcommunities.

It was important to make this content free and accessible to a wide audience The podcastformatallowsittobeaccessedfrom multiple online platforms and accessed at a time that best suits the listener It shares firsthand knowledge and experience from rural clinicians, innovation happening in rural communities and explores the policy environment shaping rural realities. I hope thatthepodcastwillbeausefulresourcefor those who are teaching tomorrow's rural clinicians, a source of support for those currently living and working in rural areas andaplacetofinduniqueinsightsforthose involvedinruralpolicymaking.

To date I have interviewed guests from Ireland, Guyana, Australia, the British Virgin Islands,Kenya,SriLanka,andBrazil.Igreatly appreciate their time and willingness to sharetheirstoriesandexpertise

Ihavebeenenjoyingthispodcastingjourney and have learned so much from my rural guests Ihopethatyoutoowillbeinspiredby what you hear and share the world of rural healthwithyourcolleagues.

If any of you know of an innovative rural project or want to share your rural experience, please get in touch via ruralroadtohealth@gmailcom

Youcanfindmoreinformationaboutthe podcasthere: https://theruralroadtohealthblog/podcast/

Listentothepodcasthere: Libsyn Spotify AmazonMusic

Deezer

Thank you for listening to the Rural Road to Health!

Dr Veronika Rasic Founding Rural Seeds Ambassador, EYFDMEURIPA Liaison and Member of EURIPA Executive Board, Rural WONCA Council Member

INTEGRATING CARE LEADERSHIP & ADVOCACY PROGRAM

TheIntegratingCareLeadership&Advocacy Program is an educational program delivered by the WONCA Working Party on Mental Health and WONCA YDM, in collaboration with The Farley Health Policy Centre(FHPC)inColoradoandtheColumbia University.Itisdesignedtoequipmotivated young family doctors who wish to enable practice transformation that integrates behaviouralhealthcareintoroutineprimary carepractice

Following the success of the pilot in 2020, and to build the evidence for a grant applicationforasubstantivefive-yearrolling program, it was decided to implement a second project with an independent evaluation, to assess feasibility of recruitment and acceptability of revised contentanddelivery.

Applications were called to select eight enthusiasticyoungfamilydoctorspractising inlow-ormiddle-incomecountries(LMICs), tosetupavirtuallearningcommunitytotest ourrevisedprogram Itwaswonderfultosee anoverwhelmingresponsenotonlyfromthe LMICs, but also from high-income countries, reflectingtheneedofsuchaprogram

After a rigorous review, we are delighted to announce the following eight successful applicants

MARIUM AHMED (PAKISTAN)

BRUNEE DORSETT (CARIBBEAN)

YURI DUTRA (BRAZIL)

STEPHEN ENGMANN (GHANA)

The program is planned to be kicked off in the first week of August The program will run for seven months with virtual meetings and interval homework assignments There will be an initial survey of participants, including the declaration of a particular behavioural/mental health issue that they wanttoaddressintheirlocalsituation,anda brief assessment of their level of knowledge in advocacy skills These young doctors will be mentored by faculty members for the project developed and undertaken by each learnerintheirownlocality Theparticipants are offered e-versions of two valuable behavioural/mentalhealthtextbooksrelated to primary care in addition to an honorarium. Finally, a certificate of completion of the program carrying the WONCA seal and the marks of the FHPC at the University will be awarded to all eligible participants

ETHYL GOLOSINDA (PHILIPPINES)

CARMEN GUTIERREZ (MEXICO)

MERCY WANJALA (KENYA)

ZHANG YUANUAN (CHINA)

THE ESSENTIAL ROLE OF PRIMARY HEALTH CARE FOR HEALTH SECURITY & SECURING HEALTH

WONCA representatives will join the upcomingPrimary Health Care International Conference The event will be held on July 19-20, 2023, at the National Academy of SciencesinWashington,DC

AmongtheattendeesfromWONCAwillbeDr Anna Stavdal, the President of WONCA, and WONCA CEO, Dr Harris Lygidakis Joining them will be Dr Jeff Markuns, the Regional President for WONCA North America, and Prof. Jacqueline Ponzo, Regional President forWONCAIberoamericana–CIMF.

This conference marks an important milestone,takingplacenearlyfiveyearsafter the Declaration of Astana, and will focus on advancing Primary Health Care as a priority for national health security and the wellbeing of people around the world, both in developedanddevelopingcountries

Thetwo-daymeetingwillserveasaplatform for exchanging ideas and facilitating essential discussions It aligns with the launchoftheU.S.Secretary’sPrimaryHealth Care Action Plan and NASEM's primary care advisory committee. Furthermore, the conferencewillexploretheroleoftheUnited States in partnering with other developed countries to enhance primary health care worldwide and learn from the innovations implementedinvariousnations

WONCA President, Dr Anna Stavdal, expressedherenthusiasmforadvocatingthe significance of primary care in this event. Dr Stavdal underscored the importance of the "30 by 2030 Campaign," a global initiative launchedbyWONCAanditspartnersin2020 "I will promote the “30 by 2030 Campaign” launched by WONCA and partners in 2020: encouraging “the development, integration and implementation of vertical programmes, including disease-specific programmes, in the context of integrated primary health care.”.

Dr Anna Stavdal WONCA President

We are honored to engage in a valuable collaborationwithesteemedpartnersforthis important occasion, including the Panamerican Health Organization (PAHO), the American Board of Family Medicine Foundation, the Commonwealth Fund, Center for Professionalism and Value in Health Care, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM),andResolvetoSaveLives

"

Individual health security is interconnected with global security Stabilizing healthcare at the local level not only contributes to the stabilization of healthcare globally but is also imperative in achieving Health for All, the primary goal of our unified global efforts"

WONCA PAST PRESIDENT, PROF. KIDD TO LEAD UNSW'S NEW CENTRE FOR FUTURE HEALTH SYSTEMS

Scientia Professor Vlado Perkovic, Dean of UNSWMedicine&HealthandActingProvost –Faculties,hasannouncedProfessorMichael KiddAOastheinauguraldirectorofthenew Centre for Future Health Systems, which is being established to promote sustainable, equitable,andperson-centredhealthcarefor allpeopleinAustralia

Aspartoftherole,andthroughapartnership withTheUniversityofOxford,hewillalsobe appointed as Professor of Global Primary Care and Future Health Systems at that University

Prof. Kidd joins UNSW from the Australian GovernmentDepartmentofHealthandAged Care, where he has served since February 2020 as Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Principal Medical Advisor, with involvement inthedevelopmentandimplementationof

With

Read

thenation’sprimarycareresponsetoCOVID19,therapidimplementationoftelehealthto the whole population, and many other initiatives BeforereturningtoAustraliaatthe start of the COVID-19 pandemic, he was basedinCanadawherehewastheDirectorof the World Health OrganizationCollaborating Centre on Family Medicine and Primary Care,Chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto,andSenior Innovation Fellow with Canada’s Institute for Health System SolutionsandVirtualCare.

In WONCA, Prof Kidd served as President from 2013-2016 Before, he was elected as Member-at-Large of the WONCA world executive,in2004,andin2007,whenhealso served as WONCA Honorary Treasurer, from 2007-2010; as WONCA liaison person to the World Health Organization, from 2005-2010; andaschairoftheWONCAWorkingPartyon Education,from2005-2010

A long serving consultant with the World HealthOrganization,andalsopastpresident of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Prof Kidd has earned global recognitionasanauthorityinprimaryhealth care. His extensive professional experience spans over 35 years, encompassing the practice of general medicine in diverse settings, including urban, rural, and remote locationsinAustraliaandoverseas

ACTIVITIES REPORT

InthisWONCANewsedition,wewouldliketo take a moment to express our heartfelt appreciation to all our member organizations, colleagues, family doctors, primarycareprofessionalsandtoourglobal family, for joining us in celebrating World Family Doctor Day! Your contributions and collaborations made this day truly extraordinary.

From engaging webinars that expanded knowledge to photos, collective activities, and exciting events that brought communities together, each initiative added aspecialtouchtothiscelebration.Thankyou for being part of this edition and for your continuous support in promoting the importance of family doctors and primary healthcareworldwide

WorldFamilyDoctorDay(WFDD),whichtook place on May 19, is a special occasion to shine a spotlight on the important role and contributions of family doctors and primary careteamsinhealthcaresystemsalloverthe world.

Since its declaration by WONCA in 2010, WFDD has become an annual celebration that recognizes the central role of family doctors in delivering personal, comprehensive, and continuous health care to patients On May 19, we honoured and appreciated the tireless efforts of family doctorsandprimarycareteamsinimproving healthcare outcomes and creating healthier communities worldwide This year's theme was:

FAMILYDOCTORS: THEHEARTOF HEALTHCARE

This year's campaign introduced three excitingnewelements First,weintroduceda brand-newlogothatexudesaminimalistand modern design, incorporating essential descriptive elements of our celebration The public's response to it was fantastic, and it and will undoubtedly remain a lasting symbol of this celebration in the years to come.

The second addition to this year's campaign was the creation of our dedicated official website for World Family Doctor Day The one-stop hub packed all the information about the campaign, including our thematic pillars and resources to fully participate in our campaign. The website has already received over 7600 visits and generated nearly12,000pageviews.

To make this year’s journey even smoother, we made our WFDD Toolkit available on a new Trello board, with all the essentials to join the campaign and customize communications to suit users’ needs From thematic pillars and key messages to eyecatching social media banners, Zoom backgrounds,andevenahandyintroductory video that helped make the most of everythingthat'swasavailable

ACampaignCreatedby

Your support to WONCA makes a significant impact Each donation plays a vital role in enablingustoorganizeimpactfulinitiatives suchasWorldFamilyDoctorDay.

By contributing, you help us foster greater awareness and recognition for the invaluable work carried out by family doctorsonadailybasis

Help us give family doctors a global voicedonatetoWONCAtoday!

Discover More

GLOBAL CELEBRATIONS

Together, we have showcased the vital role of family doctors and the impact they have on individuals and communities. Below you will find some of the activities carried out around the world While it's not possible to include every activity in this report, please knowthatwearesincerelythankfulforeach and every message received through our formandsocialmediaplatforms

WONCA AF REGION

World Family Doctor Day was celebrated acrossseveralcountriesintheWONCAAfrica Region In Nigeria, the Society of Family PhysiciansofNigeria(EnuguChapter)utilized both television and radio platforms to generate awareness about the role of family doctors, their societal benefits, and their achievements in the Nigerian healthcare sector. Meanwhile, Kaduna State University organized a medical outreach program, consistingofmedicalscreeningsandlectures highlighting the significance of periodic medicalevaluations

InLiberia,theSocietyofFamilyPhysiciansof Liberia observed the day in five out of the fifteen counties where family doctors hold leadership positions, such as Hospital Medical Directors and County Health Directors Their activities encompassed a radio talk show discussing various health conditions like hypertension and type II diabetes, along with offering free blood pressure and blood glucose checks, voluntary HIV counselling, testing, and paradesonprincipalstreets

SOFPOLWFFD2023

SOFPOLWFFD2023

WONCA ASIA PACIFIC REGION

WorldFamilyDoctorDaywascelebratedwith enthusiasm and dedication across countries intheAisaPacificRegion

In Malaysia, the Academy of Family Physicians of Malaysia (AFPM) organized a grand celebration attended by distinguished guests, including the Royal Patron, HRH Tuanku Muhriz Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir The event featured a public forum onPublic-PrivatePrimaryCarePartnerships, shedding light on bridging the gap between public and private healthcare sectors The AFPMChairman,Dr.Kaviayarasan,discussed theroleandimportanceofGPSpecialistsand FMS pathway, while Dr. Suriani Sulaiman from the Family Medicine Specialist Association provided an overview of family medicine Additionally, activities such as a children's drawing competition, free health screenings for osteoporosis, and booth activities on occupational therapy, physiotherapy,andhospicewereconducted, highlighting the multidimensional approach offamilymedicine

The Chinese Taipei Association of Family Medicine (CTAFM) in Taiwan dedicated its celebrations to the theme "Family Doctors: The Heart of Healthcare”, with a poster campaign, published a special issue on family doctors' invaluable realm, and organized a celebratory dinner to express gratitude for the long-term dedication of doctors The initiatives aimed to promote health literacy, disease prevention, and the trustedroleoffamilyphysiciansinproviding holisticcare

01-519WFDD-CTAFMmembergroupphoto(Fromlefttoright):Dr Cheng-Kuo Huang(CTAFMVicePresident),Dr Shao-YiCheng(Director,Departmentof FamilyMedicine,NationalTaiwanUniversityHospital),Dr Ya-AnLiu (RepresentativeofCTAFMYoungDoctor),Dr BrianChang(WONCAAsiaPacific RegionalPresident-Elect),Dr Tai-YuanChiu(Legislator),Dr Shinn-Jang Hwang(CTAFMPresident),Dr Long-TengLee(CTAFMVicePresident)andDr Wen-JungSun(CTAFMSecretaryGeneral)02-519WFDDseriesactivitiesof CTAFMLeft：CTAFMWorldFamilyDoctorDay2023celebrationposter Right：ConsumerReportSpecialIssueonFamilyPhysician

1 AFPM OpeningCeremony2 TheAFPM OrganizingCommittee

In Beijing, China, the Chinese Society of General Practice organized various activities in collaboration with associations and colleges to commemorate World Family DoctorDay Theeventpromotedtheconcept of guaranteeing contracts and guarding health, highlighting the importance of contracted services by family doctors The activitiesincludedanoutdoorwalkingevent betweenfamilydoctorsandmorethan1,000 contracted residents, a symbolic pledge by Professor Chi Chunhua on behalf of family doctors, and a focus on education, experience, and action to enhance health concepts among participants WONCA Past President, Dr Donald Li , and WONCA President, Dr Anna Stavdal, extended their sincere greetings to Chinese family doctors The General Practice Branch of Cross-Strait Medicine Exchange Association also share their activities The independent theme of thisyear'sinChinawas'SigningUptoShare Health' The three WONCA member organizations in China collaborated to organize a range of exciting activities, includingpowerwalksandcarnivals

TheHong Kong College of Family Physicians (HKCFP) joined hands with the Hong Kong Health Bureau to hold the Family Doctor PromotionDay,coincidingwithWorldFamily Doctor Day The event aimed to promote disease prevention, enhance the role of family doctors, and recognize their contributions in addressing public health crises Stakeholders from the public and private healthcare sectors, patient group leaders, and representatives from health authorities attended the event, which emphasized the significance of primary healthcare and the crucial role of family doctors

ProfChiChunhua,chairmanoftheChineseSocietyofGeneralPractice,tooktheoathattheopeningceremony

Openingremarksmadeby(fromlefttoright)DrLibbyLEE,UnderSecretaryforHealth,HKSARChina;DrDavid CHAO,PresidentofHKCFP;DrFei-chauPANG,CommissionerforPrimaryHealthcare,HKSARChina

OpeningremarksmadebyWoncaPresidentDrAnnaStavdal

In the Philippines, family doctors (Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center) organized an outreach program in underserved communities. The program included medical consultations, screenings for common illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension, and nutritional screenings for children They also incorporated fun activities, such as a poster-making contest embodying Filipino family values The event aimed to raise awareness, provide medical services, and promote the role of family doctorsasgatekeepersofhealth.

In Mongolia, the Mongolian Association of Family Medicine Specialists (MAFMS) conductedvariousactivitiesunderthetheme "Healthy Body - Happy Life" and "Heart of Healthcare." They focused on reducing noncommunicable diseases and organized events for health assessments, exercise education,andhealthyeatingguidance The MAFMS also recognized the contributions of family doctors through awards, art festivals, concerts, the national research conference forfamilymedicineandprimarycaretraining sessions.

Morethan500peopleinUlaanbaatarandmorethan1200peopleinlocalareasparticipatedintheactivities

FamilydoctorsandnursesorganizedanArtFestivalandConcertinMongolia

RepresentativesoftheDepartmentofPublicHealthServicesoftheMinistryofHealth

Various organizations enthusiastically embraced the World Family Doctor Day campaign, employing the power of social mediatoamplifytheirefforts.

By utilizing platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Youtube, these organizations effectively showcased their activities, captivating a broader audience and spreading awareness about the campaign

Meanwhile,inNewZealand,DrSamMurton, President of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners shared a video on social media to celebrate the special place family doctors hold at the heart of healthcare They also featured the inspiring story of Tim and Richard, a father and son whoarebothfamilydoctorswithacombined experienceof75years.Thispersonalaccount showcased the dedication and commitment of family doctors in New Zealand and their impactonpatients'lives

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), host of the upcoming WONCA World Conference, actively supported the campaign by sharing several messages on social media In an interview with newsGP, Dr Nicole Higgins, the President of RACGP, emphasized the significance of World Family Doctor Day in acknowledging the profound influence that GPs have on their communities Dr Higgins described GPs as the cornerstone of Australia's healthcare system To delve deeper into the interview, you can read the completearticlehere.

WONCA EAST MEDITERRANEAN REGION

WFDD2023wascelebratedacrosstheregion, emphasizing the importance of family practiceinhealthcare

The World Health Organization's Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (WHO EMRO) released a statement urging countries to implementfamilymedicine

The president of WONCA EMR sent a letter congratulating family physicians in the region

In Jordan, the Jordan Society of Family Medicine (JSFM) organized a scientific activityatKempinskiAmmanHotel,focusing on "Rejuvenating Chronic Disease Management" Over 150 family doctor specialistsandresidentsattendedtheevent, which included 20 presentations JSFM also conducted a training workshop on IUD insertion and removal, receiving positive feedback.

Palestine contributed to a broadcast highlighting family practice's significance, while in Egypt, the Egyptian Functional Medicine Association (EFMA) organized a scientificdaydiscussingcampaignpillarsand conditions like post-void syndrome, psoriasis, and breastfeeding In Iraq, the Minister of Health welcomed delegates from the Iraqi Family Medicine Society, acknowledgingWorldFamilyDoctorsDay

In addition to Morocco and Iran, numerous other countries actively engaged in celebrating World Family Doctor Day by utilizing social networks to showcase their activitiesandevents

CelebrationsinMorocco

CelebrationsinIran

CelebrationsinIran

WONCA EUROPE REGION

In Europe, various events were organized in differentcountriestocelebrateWorldFamily Doctor Day In Ukraine, Prof Dr Victoria Tkachenko organized a seminar for primary care doctors, focusing on the theme "Family Doctors: The Heart of Healthcare." The seminar included presentations on primary care for atrial fibrillation and awarded CertificatesofHonorto45doctors

In Macedonia, the 5th Congress on Noninfective Chronic Disease in Post-COVID Pandemicandthe25thSymposiumofFamily Medicine on Urgent Conditions in Family Medicine were held European professors shared their experiences in treating chronic diseasesduringthepandemic.Balloonswith messages to health authorities for improved primaryhealthcarewerereleased.

InSpain,thesemFYC(SociedadEspañolade Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria) commemorated the 40th anniversary of the creation of the society. A documentary highlighting the profession of family and community medicine was shown, followed by a debate The Minister of Health, José Miñones expressed gratitude for the ethical andsocialcommitmentoffamilydoctorsand emphasizedtheimportanceofstrengthening publichealthcare Throughoutthehour-long program,variousfamilydoctorsexplaintheir experiences in the practice of medicine. SemFYC also released a video and multiple social media posts supporting #WFDD2023 campaign

In Portugal, the Portuguese Association of General and Family Medicine (APMGF) celebratedWorldFamilyDoctorDaythrough several initiatives The association inaugurated its new regional headquarters, organized a commemorative session, participated in a special debate on family medicine, and recognized the contributions of family doctors by sending them a children'sbook.

In Slovenia, a press conference was held to celebrateWorldFamilyDoctorDay.Speakers from different perspectives, including Mr. Peter Črnilogar, the mayor of Borovnica; Mr Gregor Cuzak, the secretary general of patient organizations in Slovenia; Ms Julija Šter,ayoungspecialistinFP/GP;andDrRok Ravnikar, President of the Committee of Primary Care in the Medical Chamber of Slovenia.Mediacoveragefollowedtheevent, and a flyer was published to encourage patient cooperation in managing medical prescriptionsandappointments

InKyrgyzstan,thePublicAssociation"Family Medicine without Borders" organized a conference focused on recognizing family medicine as a scientific specialty. The event included roundtable discussions, an Olympiad for residents, a plenary session, parallel symposia, a competition for young family medicine teachers, and a sports run for family doctors The conference aimed to facilitate knowledge exchange and collaboration among healthcare professionals.

WONCA IBEROAMERICANA - CIMF

SeveralcountriesinLatinAmerica,including Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Cuba, Colombia, Dominican Republic, and many others actively supported a social media campaign in celebration of World Family DoctorDay.

Dr.JacquelinePonzo,theRegionalPresident ofWONCAIberoamericana-CIMF,hassenta heartfeltvideomessagetoallfamilydoctors in the region, emphasizing the utmost significanceoftheirroles

In her inspiring message, Dr Ponzo acknowledges the pivotal position held by family doctors and expresses her deep appreciationfortheirdedicatedservice

InBrazil,inadditiontosupportingtheWorld Family Doctor Day campaign on social networks with a video and graphics in Portuguese,ZelieteZambon,thepresidentof SBMFC (Brazilian Society of Family and Community Medicine), highlighted the advancements made in healthcare in Brazil and discussed the remaining challenges. Read the complete interview with Dr Zeliete ZambonHERE

In the Dominican Republic, the Dominican Society of Family and Community Medicine and doctors at the Dr Marcelino Vélez Santana Hospital celebrated with a commemorative brunch that fostered camaraderie and enthusiasm among colleagues

Venezuela's Falcón Chapter of Venezuelan Society of Family Medicine (SOVEMEFA) embraced the recommendations of WONCA and carried out a series of Instagram posts priortoWorldFamilyDoctorDay,promoting the work of their specialty They also shared individual biographies of their members to showcase the broad range of activities performedbyfamilydoctors.

WFDD2023fromBrazil

WFDD2023inDominicanRepublic

WFDD2023inArgentina

WFDD2023inArgentina

WFDD2023inVenezuela

The Costa Rican Association of Specialists in Family and Community Medicine organized its own congress in honour of World Family Doctor Day, celebrating and recognizing the professionals in this beautiful field of medicine.

Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, the Dominican Republic, and several other Latin American countries played an active role in endorsing a social media initiative in honor ofWorldFamilyDoctorDay.

CelebrationsinCostaRica

CelebrationsinCuba

CelebrationsinBolivia

CelebrationsinParaguay

SocialMediacampaigninColombia

WONCA NORTH AMERICA REGION

The College of Family Physicians of Canada actively participated in World Family Doctor Day through a comprehensive social media campaign They developed custom graphics that were made available for download and engaged their board members to contribute captivating photos Additionally, they created a toolkit containing sample social media posts, graphics, and a special video message from their CEO, who expressed appreciationforfamilyphysicians.

To amplify their message, the organization organized a media push, resulting in three interviewsfeaturingtheirCEO Theyadorned their website with World Family Doctor Day banners and sent an email to all staff, recognizingtheirhardworkanddedicationin celebrationoftheoccasion Furthermore,the College of Family Physicians of Canada reached out to its chapters nationwide, encouraging them to utilize the toolkit and join in honouring family physicians within theirrespectivecommunities.

The American Board of Family Medicine and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) also participated in the campaign by sharingsocialmediaposts

SOUTH ASIA REGION

In celebration of World Family Doctor Day, organizations in South Asia showcased their dedication to honouring family doctors and promotingprimaryhealthcare

InIndia,theAcademyofFamilyPhysiciansof India collaborated with the Project Setu Foundation Trust to host a communitycentric medical camp. The camp aimed to address the medical needs of underserved populations while highlighting the essential role of family doctors in providing primary healthcare and overall well-being Services provided included general medical checkups,preventivescreeningsforconditionslike anaemia,diabetes,andthyroiddisorders,as well as health education sessions. Emphasizing knowledge empowerment and early detection, the camp encouraged community engagement and featured a videoshowcasingtheactivitiesoftheProject SetuFoundationTrust

Credit: Aiswarya Namboodiri

Credit: Nigesh Vazhakangil

In Nepal, the General Practice and Emergency Medicine Association of Nepal (GPEMAN) organized a walkathon and gathering of general practitioners (GPs) in Kathmandu. GPEMAN's executive team and GPs shared experiences and perspectives on practicing in various settings. The event highlighted the efficiency and effectiveness of GP-based primary healthcare, recognized its comprehensive and continuous care, and advocated for its development in Nepal GPEMANexpressedprideinchampioningGPbased primary healthcare and expressed eagerness to expand collaborations locally, regionally, and globally to advance global familymedicine

In Bangladesh, family doctors organized a day-longprograminDhaka,featuringvarious activities such as an opening ceremony, a keynote speech, a panel discussion on challenges faced by family doctors, health camps, interactive sessions, community outreach,andanawardceremony.Theevent emphasizedtheimportanceoffamilydoctors in delivering quality healthcare, and participation certificates were distributed to fostersupportfortheseprofessionals

YOUNG DOCTORS’ MOVEMENTS

The Young Doctor's Movements (YDM) actively participated in the World Family Doctor Day celebrations, contributing to the campaignthroughvariousactivitiesonSocial Media

TheYDMCommitteepreparedaspecialvideo highlighting the theme of "Family doctors, the heart of healthcare" and the campaign pillars based on the principles of family medicine

The chairs and young doctors from all WONCA regions played a significant role in thiscollaborativeeffort Thevideo,featuring young family doctors and their patients, emphasized the core values of Family MedicineandtheWFDD2023pillars

Additionally, the YDMs from all regions actively engaged in the social media campaign, supporting the dissemination of messages and using posters and photo frames, joining the production of the YDM video, and sharing reflections and a statementontheirwebsite.

YDM

YOUNGDOCTORS'MOVEMENTS

#WFDD2023 IN NUMBERS

MALAYSIAN FAMILY MEDICINE SPECIALISTS' ASSOCIATION - 25TH FAMILY MEDICINE SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE

The Malaysian Family Medicine Specialists Association (FMSA) is thrilled to extend a warm invitation to the 25th Family Medicine Scientific Conference (FMSC) 2023. The conference will take place from August 23rd to 26th, 2023, at the Mövenpick Hotel and ConventionCentreKLIAinSepang,Malaysia

After a challenging two-year period due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 25th FMSC will mark their second physical conference, allowing participants to meet face-to-face once again This milestone event promises an exceptional program featuring preconference workshops, engaging plenary sessions, enlightening symposiums, as well asoralandposterpresentations.

Renowned experts from esteemed institutions have been invited as speakers, ensuring insightful discussions on various aspects of primary care, covering the entire spectrumfromwomb-to-tomb Eachsession will embody the essence of “MIND, BODY, SOUL: A VOYAGE OF WELLNESS" integrating these elements into the conference's overarching theme. The topics have been carefully selected to provide the latest knowledgeupdatesandsharedexperiences, inspiring attendees in their day-to-day clinicalpractice

Dr Nor Hazlin Binti Talib, President of the Malaysian Family Medicine Specialists Association (FMSA), shared her enthusiasm for the upcoming conference, stating, "We aredelightedtowelcomeallourfriendsand colleagues to the 25th Family Medicine ScientificConference.Thiseventrepresentsa significantmilestoneforus,asitsignifiesour return to physical conferences after a challengingperiod Weareconfidentthatthe FMSC2023willofferanenrichingexperience, enabling participants to enhance their understanding of primary care and rejuvenatetheirmind,body,andsoul."

The25thFMSCpromisestobeanexceptional platformfornetworking,knowledgesharing, and professional development within the field of family medicine. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with fellow practitioners, exchange ideas, and gain insights that will empower them to deliver thehigheststandardofcaretotheirpatients

Forregistrationandfurtherdetailsaboutthe 25th Family Medicine Scientific Conference (FMSC) 2023, please visit the official conference website at https://fmsconferencemy/

BESROUR CENTRE LAUNCHES LEARNING MODULE: 'DISASTER PLANNING FOR FAMILY DOCTORS

THE BESROUR CENTRE FOR GLOBAL FAMILY MEDICINE ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF THE LEARNING

MODULE “DISASTER PLANNING FOR COMMUNITY FAMILY PHYSICIANS

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused the largest and most rapid disruption to the practicesandtrainingoffamilyphysicians It has revealed gaps in the capacity of our health care systems, but it has also led to a surge in resiliency, innovation, and gained experience as primary care providers and educatorsadapttothisnewparadigm

ThisFMPivoteducationalinitiativehasbeen developed by a team of global Besrour Centrepartnerstohelpfamilyphysiciansand family medicine educators prepare for similar challenges in the future within their owncontexts.

Our module “Disaster Planning for Community Family Physicians” is now availableforfree Thisonlinemoduleaimsto apply practical knowledge to improve the quality and efficiency of care during the pandemic

Startthislearningmodulehere

Seriesoffivemodulesfocusonglobalhealth emergencycompetencieswithfivethemes.

Modules launched to date, available for free fmpivot.ca

Finding Great Research Questions in Pandemics and Other Crises: An introduction for family medicine researchers

ChronicDiseaseManagementduringthe COVD-19Pandemic

Mental Health Tools for Family

PhysiciansinaPost-COVIDWorld

Disaster Planning for Community Family Physicians

Upcomingtopicfor2023: •VirtualEducation

WHAT IS FM PIVOT?

DiscovertheBesrourCentreforGlobalFamily Medicine:FMPivotModules