WONCA South Asia Region newsletter
New regional publication brings together updates from member organisations across Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, India and beyond.
WONCA South Asia Region has published its first regional newsletter, covering January to June 2026.
Below is the full message from Dr Pramendra Prasad Gupta, President of WONCA South Asia Region, followed by a summary of what else is in this issue.
Read the full WONCA South Asia Region Newsletter, January to June 2026
President's message: Shaping the future of South Asian family medicine
Dear Colleagues and Champions of Family Medicine across South Asia,
It is with great pride and optimism that I welcome you to the inaugural edition of our regional newsletter. This publication marks an important milestone in our collective journey as family doctors, creating a platform to share knowledge, celebrate achievements, strengthen collaboration and amplify the voice of primary care across our region.
We launch this newsletter at a pivotal moment for global health. Health systems worldwide continue to face unprecedented challenges: rising disease burdens, health inequities, workforce shortages, climate-related health threats and rapidly evolving technologies. Amid these complexities, family doctors remain the foundation of resilient, accessible and people-centred healthcare systems.
The reality of family medicine in South Asia: a stark dichotomy
To look forward, we must be honest about where we stand. On one hand, telemedicine, AI and digital health networks are rapidly expanding. On the other, family medicine still fights for recognition in many parts of South Asia. Our systems remain fragmented, commercialised and specialist driven. Primary care is underfunded, and many medical students graduate without rotating through a dedicated General Practice department.
The way forward: high-tech, high-touch healthcare
We cannot fix 21st-century challenges with 20th-century paradigms. Technology must be the enabler, not the replacer, stripping away administrative burdens so we can look patients in the eye. Digital health can democratise care to remote corners of our nations. We must also advocate for robust General Practice curricula at the undergraduate (MBBS) level.
A direct directive to our member organisations
This is our moment to lead, not follow. I call on every member organisation to:
- Demand policy re-engineering: lobby ministries of health to position family medicine as the mandatory gatekeeper and bedrock of Universal Health Coverage (UHC)
- Institutionalise digital health competency: build localised CME programmes, fellowships and workshops that equip frontline doctors with telehealth and digital decision-making skills
- Foster regional solidarity: share data, research and operational successes through this newsletter and joint regional forums
The future of healthcare in South Asia will be shaped in our clinics, community centres and district hospitals. Let us step boldly into this digital era, holding fast to empathy, dignity and compassionate care.
In solidarity and shared purpose,
Dr Pramendra Prasad Gupta
President, WONCA South Asia Region
What's in this issue
- College of Family Medicine Pakistan (CFMP): educational programmes, a tribute to Professor M. Zaman Shaikh, and participation in regional conferences
- College of General Practitioners of Sri Lanka (CGPSL): MCGP graduation and FCGP conferment, GP trainer workshops, and preparations for the 51st Annual Academic Sessions
- College of General Practice Nepal: a community walkathon and continuing medical education activities
- SPICE ROUTE, Young Doctors' Movement South Asia: a regional webinar series marking World Obesity Day, World TB Day, World Health Day and World Asthma Day
- World Family Doctor Day 2026 celebrations across the region, under the theme "Compassionate Care in a Digital World"
- Tributes to Dr Muhammad Amin Kharadi and Professor Emeritus Dr Naseem Salahuddin
Read the full WONCA South Asia Region Newsletter, January to June 2026