This week’s newsletter includes the return of the ‘Featured Doctor’ series, and key updates on our next three regional conferences in the Asia Pacific Region, Europe and the East Mediterranean Region. But first, an update from our President, Assoc. Prof. Karen Flegg.
TWO ISLANDS, TWO CONFERENCES: WONCA President Karen Flegg had a whirlwind May, jetting off to two island nations famed for their warm welcomes; Sri Lanka and Fiji. Her mission? To hammer home the urgent need for more investment in Primary Health Care (PHC) to slash healthcare costs. In Sri Lanka, she celebrated the golden anniversary of their College of GPs and picked up an Honorary Fellowship. Over in Fiji, she reconnected with old friends at their 30th GP conference and launched the revived journal, Apotheosis. Karen’s message: It’s time to shift funds from secondary and tertiary care to PHC, with family medicine leading the charge. Dive into her fun and impactful journey!
WONCA COUNCIL: The annual meeting of the WONCA Council is scheduled for Tuesday, 25 June 2024. Member Organisations have been contacted with details on how to attend the virtual Council meeting. Additionally, they have received a guide to voting, agendas, and papers to ensure they are fully prepared for the event.
HEALTHY PLANET, HEALTHY PEOPLE: It has been one month since World Family Doctor Day on 19 May 2024. As part of our campaign, we asked family doctors from across the world to send stories of their efforts to promote planetary health and green their practices. Our first story in this series is from Takafumi Sasaki, the founder of Green Practice Japan, a group of medical professionals working on climate change. Read more.
WONCA PAST PRESIDENT HONORED: The University of Oulu awarded an honorary doctorate to Anna Stavdal, our immediate past president. This recognition celebrates not just Dr Stavdal, but the collective efforts of WONCA, reaffirming the importance of primary healthcare worldwide. oining Dr. Stavdal in receiving honorary doctorates were notable figures such as Iceland’s President Guðni Th. Jóhannesson and Nobel laureate Professor William G. Kaelin Jr., emphasizing the prestigious nature of this recognition. Read more.
FEATURED DOCTOR: The much-loved ‘Featured Doctor’ series is returning to the WONCA website, and who better to kick things off than Dr. Fathia Mohamed Nour from Somaliland? One of the first graduates from Amoud University’s Family Medicine program, she has been instrumental in rebuilding Somaliland’s healthcare system from the ground up.
Montegut Scholar: Dr Fathia received the Montegut Scholar Award, supported by the American Board of Family Medicine Foundation, which enabled her participation in the WONCA Africa Conference, where she presented the successes and challenges of family medicine in Somaliland to thunderous applause. She also spoke with Prof. Bob Mash for a short video, which we have posted below.
FEATURED DOCTOR:
Dr Fathia Mohamed Nour (Somaliland) – 2024 Montegut Scholar
WEBINARS AND WORKSHOPS
WHY (NOT) RURAL PRACTICE?: Join a special rural cafe with Ms Anne Davies. Anne is doing research with the Australian National University and looking into why, and why not, doctors choose rural practices. June 22nd, 10 AM UTC. Join on Zoom.
POLARIS 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY: Join Polaris (Young Doctors’ Movement of North America) as they celebrate a decade of achievements with an anniversary webinar on Sunday, June 30, 2024, from 5:00 – 6:30 PM UTC (1:00 – 2:30 PM ET). Sticking with the theme “Healthy Planet, Healthy People”, and featuring an impressive panel of speakers, you can register for the webinar here.
CYBERxFM PROJECT: Our collaborate webinar between the WONCA Young Doctors’ Movement and the WONCA Working Party on eHealth was a great success. This webinar focused on the integration of telemedicine in primary care and the emerging cybersecurity threats associated with digital health. Experts discussed strategies to safeguard patient data and ensure the secure delivery of healthcare services. Dive into the insights on telemedicine and cybersecurity to better safeguard your practice and patient data. Watch the recording here.
UBUNTU 2024 – WONCA Rural Conference: Cape Town, South Africa. September 10-13, 2024.
A WONCA Conference like no other, hosted in collaboration with The Network: TUFH, an organistion with its own proud history of 45 years, Ubuntu 2024 offers rural doctors the opportunity to experience South African culture, learn in a dynamic setting, and make lifelong connections with rural practitioners and other health professionals from around the world. The Ubuntu workshops will be a particular highlight. Check out the program here.WONCA Europe Conference: TODAY is the LAST DAY for early bird registration for the WONCA Europe Conference in Dublin, Ireland. September 25-28, 2024. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to explore Dublin’s vibrant culture and rich history, and gain insight from global leaders in family medicine at a discounted rate. Register by midnight tonight to save.
WONCA East Mediterranean Region Conference: Amman, Jordan, 3 – 5 October 2024.
We are thrilled to unveil the primary agenda for the upcoming WONCA EMR Conference! Get a sneak peek into the engaging sessions, keynote speakers, and innovative discussions we have lined up for you. Register today.WONCA Iberoamericano – CIMF Conference: Panama City, Panama. October 23-26, 2024.
Sign up now to guarantee your participation and get an early bird registration discount until June 28th. Visit the website for more information or follow WONCA Iberoamericana CIMF on Facebook.
WONCA South Asia Region Conference: Bengaluru, India 4 – 6 April, 2025.
Dr Roshni Jhan Ganguly looks ahead to 2025 and previews the next South Asia Region conference, and why Bengaluru, the “Silicon Valley of India” makes the perfect venue for the exchange of knowledge, fostering collaborations, and promoting advancements in family medicine.
WONCA WORLD CONFERENCE: Lisbon, Portugal. September 17-21, 2025.
Our biennial global conference. Save the date!
