Dr Michael Boland Award

The Michael Boland Award

Prof Michael Boland (1948-2020) was president of WONCA from 2001-2004. The Irish College of GPs (ICGP) has created an award in his honour which is the highest accolade awarded by the Irish College of GPs. The award commemorates the lifelong contribution by Prof Boland as a Foundation member of the ICGP and his commitment and contribution to education members and patients.

The first Michael Boland Lifetime Achievement Award was made during the WONCA Europe conference in Dublin on Wed 25 September to Dr Joe Gallagher. Michael’s family were present. This is a wonderful way to bring together a history of the ICGP and WONCA.

At the ceremony, WONCA President A/Prof Karen Flegg delivered the following tribute to our Past President:

Photo: A/Prof Flegg delivers tribute with other WONCA Past Presidents joining her on Stage. Anna Stavdal, Amanda Howe, and Michael Kidd.

Mrs. Susan Boland and other Boland family members were in the audience: Mary, Jane, Mike, and wife Caroline.

Prof. Michael Boland served as President of WONCA from 2001 to 2004. He first joined the WONCA World Council in 1986 representing Ireland and was elected to the World Executive in 1992. Michael quickly became a leader in WONCA, and in 1998 was elected president-elect at the council meeting in Killarney, which I attended.

Michael commenced as WONCA President in 2001. At that time WONCA represented 65 countries, but over the course of his presidency that number reached 100 and is now 133.

Even before taking office as WONCA president, Michael was making inroads to the international world of family medicine. I understand that the Irish College of GPs owes its existence to Michael.

In October 1993, Michael represented WONCA at an International Conference of Family Physicians held in Maryland, U.S.A. At this meeting, he met Dr. Charles Boelen from the WHO, who was trying to define the “Five Star Doctor” with little success until this meeting. WONCA to this day makes an annual Five Star doctor award in each region and globally at each World conference.

Michael and Charles organised a joint WHO WONCA workshop in London, Ontario, in 1994, which served to further define Family Medicine and resulted in a joint publication of the WHO WONCA Working Paper “Making Medical Education and Medical Practice more Relevant to People's Needs; the Contribution of the Family Doctor”.

This was translated and distributed to nearly all Ministries of Health and Deans of Medical Schools in the countries represented in the WHO. This working paper had a major impact on many of these countries and has resulted in reforming health care systems. Another later result of this work was the Guide Book “Improving Health Systems: The Contribution of Family Medicine 2002.”

In 1998, I attended the WONCA World Conference held here in Dublin, organized by Michael and his team. This was a great success both for the content and attendance of over 4000 participants and 1000 accompanying persons.

As President-elect of WONCA, Michael was known for a global campaign to combat AIDS/HIV and his strong and effective advocacy for the prevention, mitigation, and cessation of tobacco use. The latter culminated in a WONCA Ad Hoc Task Force on Tobacco Cessation, and in 2001 a WONCA Call to Action was made to encourage and train for advocacy toward the prevention and cessation of tobacco use.

Also in 1998, Michael and then WONCA President Bob Higgins met with the then Director-General of the WHO, Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, to discuss WONCA and family medicine. A result of this meeting was that WONCA and the WHO signed a 'Memorandum of Understanding for Collaborative Activities for the period 1998 - 2001'. Such collaborative plans still guide WONCA’s activities with WHO today. These very successful efforts on Michael’s part in defining Family Medicine were efforts that led to important changes in health care worldwide. I acknowledge Bob Higgins and Michael Kidd for the above information.

Michael Kidd, who is with me here today, has very fond memories of Michael Boland—of Michael’s inspired leadership of WONCA, his talents as a teacher, his warmth, and great generosity towards so many of the younger members of our profession, and for the influence his contributions have had on the course of so many lives, including Michael Kidd’s own life, and I believe Amanda Howe would add hers as well. Obituary by Michael Kidd.

Susan, I think you and your family will remember Dan Ostergaard from the USA. Dan and his wife Ruth fondly remember WONCA conferences shared with you, Susan, and with Michael, and sometimes your kids, and he fondly recalls a great time shared at the WONCA Rural Health conference in Sarawak, Malaysia, in 2014.

Dan sent some words for me to say: “I first met Michael Boland in 1995 and was impressed by his very sharp wit, easy smile, and commitment to General Practice as a frontline physician. His presidential years were stellar. Michael was a wonderful human being, a great leader, and inspiration to WONCA organizations globally. He is missed.”

On behalf of WONCA, and particularly those who knew Michael, I express our pleasure to see this award established in his honour. It will enable the younger generations to know the work of a great man, a great President of WONCA, and a great Irishman.