As the WONCA Europe Conference kicks off in Dublin, we have news from the inaugural WONCA North America convening meeting, an important visit to China, a report on rural doctors in South America, webinars, interviews, podcasts and more.
WONCA North America Convening Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona.
RISE LIKE A PHOENIX: WONCA North America, under the leadership of Dr. Victor Ng (Canada), recently held its inaugural regional convening meeting, hosted by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) in Phoenix, Arizona. We extend our thanks to Carlos R. Gonzales, our keynote speaker, for his insightful presentation on the impact of health inequalities. There were also discussions around the vital role of medical education in shaping effective health systems, while the ongoing WONCA Core Values project continued to unite regions through shared principles.
North America’s Flame: This event marks the beginning of a bright new future for WONCA North America. We thank everyone who attended from USA, Canada, Trinidad and Tobago, The Bahamas, and more. We look forward to building on these important connections at future meetings.
SUPPORT PALESTINIAN FAMILY DOCTORS: Dr Suha Hamshari, who was honoured with the WONCA Global Five Star Doctor award last year, has asked the WONCA community for support. She and her colleagues at the An-Najah Family Medicine Clinic in Nablus, West Bank, are striving to expand their services to meet the growing healthcare demands of patients who have lost access to care. Donations via the Foundation for Family Medicine in Palestine (FFMP) will help fund the clinic’s expansion to meet both the health needs of patients and the training requirements of future family doctors in the region.
E-TRIGGER PROGRAM: The WONCA Ageing & Health Special Interest Group (SIG) has partnered with the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG) and the Federation of Geriatric Education (FGE) to offer an internationally accredited e-learning program in geriatrics. The “E-TRIGGER” program, a 12-month course accredited by the European Accreditation Council for CME, offers 60 CEUs and will begin on 26 September 2024, covering topics such as cardiovascular diseases, dementia, and end-of-life care. To register or apply for scholarships, visit IAGG-FGE.
Discounts: Doctors from Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) who are members of the SIG on Ageing and Health, can benefit from a 90% discount on fees. Additionally, all WONCA Direct Members are entitled to a 15% discount. Full information on discounts is available on the WONCA website.
SURVEY ON STRESS AND BURNOUT: The ASPIRE Global Team (part of the WONCA Young Doctors’ Movement) invite you to participate in a survey to evaluate the perceived stress and burnout of family physicians in various WONCA regions. The online survey takes approx. 10 minutes to complete. Responses will remain confidential, and you may be invited to participate in an upcoming session dealing with burnout – if you wish. Click here to fill out the questionnaire.
PAST PRESIDENTS IN CHINA: WONCA Past Presidents Donald Li and Anna Stavdal represented WONCA at the annual conference of the Chinese Society of General Practice in Harbin, September 7-8. They also met representatives from the Chinese Medical Association. Read more about their visit.
EXECUTIVE MEETING: WONCA’s Executive Board will have an in-person meeting this weekend in London where they will be hosted by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP).
RURAL HEALTH: Discover the inspiring stories and achievements of rural doctors in Iberoamerica, in a video presented by Dr Dora Bernal part of the John McLeod Oration at Ubuntu 2024 in Cape Town. This impressive documentary features contributions from rural doctors from Venezuela, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Argentina and Brazil. Watch here.
Correction: In last week’s email, I incorrectly stated that Dr Pratyush Kumar will be the first Rural WONCA chair from a Low- and Middle-Income Country (LMIC). In fact, this honour goes to Prof Ian Couper (South Africa) who chaired the Working Party from 2007 to 2013. Learn more about Rural WONCA group and their plans for the future, including a Global Rural Health Summit in India next April, by watching this interview, recorded at the Ubuntu 2024 conference in Cape Town.
Rural WONCA chair-elect Dr Pratyush Kumar interviews chair Prof Bruce Chater.
FEATURED DOCTOR: We were pleased to have Prof Gustavo Gusso (Brazil) visit the WONCA secretariat last week on his way to attend a meeting of the WONCA International Classifications Committee (WICC) in Newcastle, UK. Their meeting ends today and was very well attended with 23 attendees from 14 countries. We used the opportunity to catch up with him and ask about his life as a family doctor, as well as his passion for learning about primary care systems worldwide.
Featured Doctor: Dr Gustavo Gusso (Brazil)
WONCA WEBINARS
MENTAL HEALTH – A PRIORITY IN PRIMARY CARE: This Sunday, 29 September, we have the next webinar in the collaborative series between the Young Doctors’ Movement (YDM) and the WONCA Working Parties and Special Interest Groups (WP/SIG). An expert panel of family doctors from around the world will share their insights on how to improve mental health care in primary settings, with live interpretation in Spanish and Mandarin. 1:00-2:30pm UTC. Register here.
POLICY ADVOCACY: Also taking place this week is a special webinar featuring our past-president Prof Michael Kidd (Australia), live from the WONCA Europe conference in Dublin. Hosted by the co-chairs of the SIG on Policy Advocacy, Dr Sankha Randenikumara and Prof Amanda Howe (herself a past-president), Prof Kidd will share his insights on how you can effectively advocate with your government. Friday, 27 Sept 11:30 – 12:30 UTC. Register here.
DIÁLOGOS EN IBEROAMÉRICA: El próximo jueves, 26 de septiembre de 2024, a las 19:00 horas (Colombia, Ecuador y Perú) y a las 20:00 horas (Bolivia y Venezuela), se llevará a cabo un interesante conversatorio virtual sobre la “Identidad y Rol del Médico Familiar en Iberoamérica”. Este evento contará con una mesa redonda en la que participarán los presidentes de las sociedades de la subregión Andina, quienes discutirán temas clave sobre el papel del médico familiar en la región. Participa en la reunión a través de Zoom aquí.
MORE WEBINARS, PODCASTS, EVENTS.
WONCA CEO: In the latest episode of the European Young Family Doctors’ Movement (EYFDM) Podcast, the host, Dr Fabian Dupont, interviews the CEO of WONCA (and my boss) Dr Harris Lygidakis. Needless to say, it’s an excellent episode packed with profound insight and fascinating stories from an illustrious career in family medicine! Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
CELEBRATING OUR NURSES: Join the World Patient Alliance on 3 October 2024, at 13:00 UTC for the “Heart of Healthcare: Celebrating Our Nurses” webinar. Featuring patient advocates, nurses, and healthcare experts, they will discuss the vital role nurses play in healthcare, and explore ways to support them. WONCA encourages family doctors to join this important conversation and help create a more supportive environment for our nursing colleagues. Register here.
RURAL ROAD TO HEALTH: Do you want to learn more about the health of rural and remote communities in Europe and globally? The Rural Road to Health podcast interviews rural researchers, doctors, nurses and allied health professionals, and those working on rural health innovations. There are more than 50 episodes with guests from 23 countries! Listen in!
WONCA CONFERENCE CALENDAR
WONCA Europe Conference: Dublin, Ireland. September 25 – 28, 2024.
Starting today! Don’t forget to tag @WoncaWorld in your social media posts!
Email me for local tips 😉
WONCA East Mediterranean Region Conference: Amman, Jordan. 3 – 5 October 2024.
Explore Jordan’s unique blend of history and modernity. The perfect place for learning and exploration. Register today.
