Meet the 2025 Montegut Global Scholars

Supporting Global Family Medicine Leaders

WONCA is proud to announce the seven recipients of the 2025 Montegut Global Scholars Program (MGSP), selected from each of WONCA’s regions: Africa, Asia Pacific, CIMF Iberoamericana, East Mediterranean, Europe, South Asia, and North America.

This prestigious scholarship, generously supported by the American Board of Family Medicine Foundation (ABFM-F), aims to foster international education, research, and collaboration in family medicine by supporting the attendance of promising family doctors at the WONCA World Conference in Lisbon, 17–21 September 2025.

Established in 2010, the MGSP honours Dr Alain Montegut, a former ABFM Board Member whose career has focused on strengthening family medicine worldwide, especially in low-resource and underserved settings.

Each of this year’s recipients has shown deep commitment to improving the health of their communities and advancing family medicine in innovative and inspiring ways. WONCA extends its warmest congratulations to all seven scholars – and now, we invite you to meet them.

Africa Region: Dr Tania Gahama Ineza (Burundi)

Dr Tania Gahama Ineza, a medical doctor from Burundi and Master of Family Medicine candidate at the University of Edinburgh, has been awarded the 2025 Montegut Global Scholarship for the Africa region. Her ultimate ambition is both timely and urgent: to establish family medicine as a recognised medical specialty in Burundi, where no formal training or infrastructure for the discipline currently exists.

Dr Gahama Inezan is already advancing this goal through a combination of community leadership, advocacy, and academic work. She is the co-founder and leader of a nonprofit organisation focused on health promotion and quality improvement, primarily through capacity building in underserved communities. Among her contributions is a long-running breast cancer awareness campaign in Bujumbura, which she has led since 2019.

Her current professional work spans clinical care, public health engagement, and medical education. Notably, more than half of her time is dedicated to community outreach—a reflection of her commitment to strengthening primary care access and outcomes where they are most limited.

Dr Gahama Inezan’s application demonstrated a strong alignment with the aims of the Montegut Scholarship. She views attendance at the WONCA World Conference not only as an opportunity for learning, but as a critical step in building the foundations for family medicine in Burundi. Her focus is on sustainable systems change, grounded in the principles of equity and continuity of care.

“My ultimate goal is to pioneer family medicine training and practice in Burundi, where none currently exists... I hope to gain insight and tools to strengthen my effort in establishing family medicine in Burundi.”

Her selection is a recognition of her clear strategic vision and her potential to influence the development of primary health care at both national and regional levels. WONCA is proud to support her journey.

Asia Pacific Region: Dr Jake Bryan Cortez (Philippines)

Dr Jake Bryan Cortez is a family and community medicine physician based in the Philippines. He serves as Associate Professor and Head of the Medical Education Unit at the Mapúa School of Medicine, where he leads efforts in outcomes-based education, primary care, social accountability, and AI integration into basic medical education. He is also the founding Chair of the Philippine Academy of Family Physicians’ Special Interest Group on Planetary Health.

Dr Cortez’s work sits at the intersection of medical education, sustainability, and innovation. His commitment to family medicine is expressed through raising awareness, building capacity, and inspiring advocacy that ripple outward—like a stone cast on water—toward more equitable and climate-resilient healthcare systems in disaster-prone and underserved areas of the Philippines, and toward primary care strategies that respond to both local health needs and global challenges.

His Montegut Scholarship application clearly articulated both a strong academic grounding and a forward-looking vision. He plans to use the WONCA 2025 World Conference to strengthen his capacity to lead curriculum design, sustainability, and practical innovations in primary care.

“Our healthcare system faces urgent challenges from climate change, health inequities and resource constraints… I aim to create impactful programs that address health inequities and strengthen disaster resilience in the Philippines.”

Dr Cortez exemplifies the leadership and vision the Montegut Scholarship seeks to support—family physicians committed to improving care through education, equity, and innovation.

CIMF Iberoamericana Region: Dr Liliana Villegas Valdomero (Colombia)

Dr Liliana Villegas Valdomero is a family physician, educator, and researcher based in Cali, Colombia. She holds degrees in medicine, family medicine, epidemiology, and health education, and currently serves as a university lecturer and active member of several research groups focused on public health and ageing.

Dr Villegas Valdomero has built her career at the intersection of clinical care, teaching, and community-focused research. She dedicates 40% of her work to medical education and another 25% to research, with a strong focus on primary care approaches to population health. Her special interests include self-care and comprehensive care for older adults—both critical priorities in Latin American healthcare systems.

She is deeply engaged in international family medicine networks, notably through her leadership in the FM360 exchange programme and the Waynakay Movement. As Regional Coordinator (REC) for Waynakay in Latin America, she plays an active role in facilitating global learning opportunities for young family doctors.

"I believe this will be very productive in the care of patients and in teaching work, enabling me to guide the next generation of family doctors."

Dr Villegas Valdomero also brings an interdisciplinary perspective to her practice, blending evidence-based medicine with holistic approaches. She is a certified Reiki Master and member of the Colombian Reiki Association, a reflection of her interest in whole-person care and patient empowerment.

Given the financial obligations she carries from her medical training and limited institutional resources, attending an international conference would not be feasible without support. The Montegut Scholarship offers her a timely opportunity to strengthen her leadership role in regional and global family medicine.

East Mediterranean Region: Dr Samar Al-Moazen (Syria)

Dr Samar Al-Moazen is a physician, academic, and doctoral candidate based in Damascus, Syria. She has served since 2009 as a supervisor of applied training in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at Damascus University and is currently completing her PhD in the same discipline. Her teaching and supervision roles extend to postgraduate and diploma programmes, including international training initiatives supported by UNRWA and the Rila Institute of Health Sciences in London.

Family medicine remains a relatively new specialty in Syria, first introduced in the 1990s and still not widely recognised by the general public. Dr Al-Moazen has positioned herself as a leading advocate for expanding the specialty’s visibility and role within the health system. Her current efforts are focused on collaboration with the Ministry of Health to position family physicians as the essential first point of contact in primary healthcare.

"Family physicians must be the first contact between people and the health system... we are doing our best to raise awareness of the specialty and make it known and trusted in the community."

Her Montegut Scholarship application underscored a strong commitment to both local capacity building and global knowledge exchange. She sees the WONCA World Conference as a critical opportunity to connect with peers, strengthen professional networks, and advance the development of family medicine in fragile and under-resourced health systems.

Dr Al-Moazen also cited the financial and practical barriers that Syrian doctors face in participating in global professional events. With limited institutional support and the high cost of international travel, such opportunities are often out of reach. The Montegut Scholarship provides a means for her to access global learning and contribute Syria’s perspective to the international family medicine community.

Europe Region: Dr Sıdıka Ece Yokuş (Türkiye)

Dr Sıdıka Ece Yokuş is completing her family medicine specialty training at Manisa Celal Bayar University in Türkiye. With a strong academic track record and emerging research portfolio, she exemplifies the kind of early-career physician the Montegut Global Scholars Program aims to support.

Her work balances a significant clinical commitment with research activity and a growing list of international publications and conference presentations. Her interests focus on patient safety, ageing, and primary care models for complex chronic conditions

Dr Yokuş recently participated in the WONCA Research Mentorship Programme, where she began developing a study with support from an international mentor. She plans to present the preliminary results at the WONCA World Conference and sees the event as a pivotal point in shaping her future academic direction.

"The scholarship will be a source of motivation and inspiration for me as a researcher… it will allow me to further my career in medicine beyond local pathways."

Her application highlighted a sincere desire to build lasting relationships within global scientific networks and take a more active role in WONCA’s special interest groups and working parties. She also spoke candidly about the financial barriers that affect many young physicians in Türkiye, particularly in accessing international conferences due to currency exchange limitations.

Dr Yokuş is a motivated clinician-researcher who brings curiosity, discipline, and a clear vision to her work. WONCA is proud to support her participation in Lisbon and her continued contribution to the advancement of family medicine in Europe and beyond.

South Asia Region: Dr Sankha Randenikumara (Sri Lanka)

Dr Sankha Randenikumara is a family physician, medical administrator, and general practice educator based in Sri Lanka. He began his medical career delivering rural primary care, where he led the transformation of an under-resourced health facility in southern Sri Lanka into a model of community-based care. Today, he continues to work at the intersection of clinical practice, leadership, and health system improvement.

Dr Randenikumara holds multiple leadership roles within WONCA, including Honorary Secretary of the South Asia Region, Chair Elect of the Working Party on Planetary Health, and Co-Chair of the Special Interest Group on Policy Advocacy. His contributions reflect a deep commitment to strengthening family medicine and integrating sustainability into healthcare systems.

"Attending the WONCA conference with the support of the Montegut Scholarship would allow me to exchange knowledge with global experts, strengthen my work in planetary health, and advocate for effective healthcare policy."

Dr Randenikumara views the WONCA World Conference as a critical opportunity to bring international best practices back to his national and regional contexts. He is particularly focused on developing climate-resilient health care systems and building primary care frameworks that can respond effectively to both environmental and societal challenges.

His application was strongly supported by his extensive service record and global leadership roles, including as past Young Doctors Lead for WONCA. Financially, like many colleagues in South Asia, the costs associated with international conference attendance are difficult without scholarship support. The Montegut award enables him to participate fully and continue shaping the future of primary care both locally and globally.

North America Region: Dr Sasha Farrier (Trinidad and Tobago)

Dr Sasha Farrier is a family physician serving in the public sector in Trinidad and Tobago. She currently works at a health centre in a semi-rural area with longstanding agricultural roots. With over 14 years of clinical experience, her practice is deeply informed by the realities of community medicine and the ways in which broader social and environmental forces shape health outcomes.

Dr Farrier brings a strong interest in public health and preventative medicine, and she is preparing to begin a Master’s in Public Health. Her Montegut application reflects a clear intention to merge individual clinical care with community-level interventions. She is particularly committed to health promotion, climate resilience, and the role of primary care systems in anticipating and managing the consequences of environmental events.

"I believe that environmental factors and climate change are important determinants of health and should be closely considered, especially at the level of primary and community health. We must anticipate and prepare for any challenges that environmental disasters may bring with the respective provision of healthcare, maintenance of sanitation, access to clean water and not to be forgotten; provision of mental health services during difficult times."

She highlighted the importance of digital health infrastructure—electronic records, telemedicine, and accessible medication data—as essential tools in disaster response and continuity of care. Her reflections align closely with global priorities around climate-adapted primary health care.

As the current Country Lead for the WONCA Working Party on Women and Family Medicine in Trinidad and Tobago, Dr Farrier also contributes to gender equity and leadership development within the profession. Her financial need, like many of her colleagues from developing countries, stems from limited salary support, rising costs, and restrictions on access to foreign exchange—all of which make international participation challenging.

Her voice brings a valuable Caribbean perspective to WONCA’s global community, and the scholarship will support her in continuing to link frontline care with wider systems thinking.

WONCA congratulates all seven scholars and thanks the American Board of Family Medicine Foundation for making this opportunity possible. The Montegut Scholars of 2025 represent the best of our global community, working to advance family medicine and strengthen primary care for all.