Newsletter: November 2014

I was invited recently by the World Health Organization to assist the Oman Ministry of Health in a review of the rollout of that nation’s national primary health care strategy. The achievements of Oman over the past forty years in reforming the nation’s health care system, and tackling the major health care challenges facing its population of four million people, have been a remarkable success

Fui invitado recientemente por la Organización Mundial de la Salud para ayudar al Ministerio de Sanidad de Omán en una revisión de la implantación de la estrategia de atención primaria de ese país. Los logros de Omán en los últimos cuarenta años en la reforma del sistema de salud del país y el afrontamiento de los grandes desafíos de atención que recibe su población de cuatro millones de personas han sido un éxito notable.

WONCA's voting members are its Member Organziations (MOs) this month the CEO informs of a survey of the MOs and an annual report coming out soon.

WONCA President, Professor Michael Kidd was today honoured by his Australian peers. He received the the Rose-Hunt Award - the highest accolade awarded by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP). He also delivered a memorable oration at the Academic Session of the RACGP conference

WONCA was invited to a meeting at WHO Headquarters on October 14 for a discussion on childhood obesity. Dr Luisa Pettigrew, WONCA WHO liaison person prepared this statement which was endorsed by WONCA Executive.

The Third Global Symposium on Health Systems Research took place in Cape Town during the first week of October. The symposium aims to bring people together to work towards delivering more evidence-based policy making in health, with a focus principally on low and middle income countries

WONCA would like to establish a Special Interest Group on Men's Health. Here, Alan White, Professor of Men's Health, Leeds Beckett University writes on resources and a workshop held in Kuching

Have you ever thought of attending a WONCA conference? Maybe you have been to many? Regardless, 2015 brings a variety of events to choose from, and spread all around the world - Croatia, Taiwan, Uruguay, Turkey, UAE, Bangladesh, Ghana.

Family doctors are natural advocates for patient involvement – since we are close to our patients and their communities, and we can see the need to empower people to help themselves where possible, the idea that extra effort may be needed to ensure patients have a voice in their own care may seem strange to us.

Los médicos de familia somos los defensores naturales de la participación de los pacientes, ya que estamos cerca de nuestros pacientes y de sus comunidades, y podemos ver la necesidad de empoderar a la gente para ayudarse a sí mismos cuando sea posible.

The phrase “The proof is in the pudding” became increasingly popular in the United States during the 1950s while its origins can be traced abroad and to as early the 14th century. Here in the US family physicians find themselves in times of unprecedented political, technological and social change in the midst of healthcare reform.

In Kuwait, WONCA leaders, Dr Mohammed Tarawneh, WONCA East Mediterranean region president and Prof Nabil Kurashi, Immediate past WONCA East Mediterranean region president, had an official meeting with the Kuwait Society of Family Practice (KSFP) section of the Kuwait Medical Association (KMA).

The Biennial elections of the College of Family Medicine Pakistan 2014-2016, took place on 21st August 2014 and were endorsed by the General Body of College of Family Medicine Pakistan.

Dr Donald Li, WONCA Executive member-at-large was recently invited to speak on the WONCA educational standards for accreditation at the Annual General Meeting and conference of the Society of General Practice of the Chinese Medical Association (SOGP CMA), the member organization of WONCA of China.

The Royal College of General Practitioners has just published Being a doctor: understanding medical practice, a book which explores the role of the modern doctor beyond the clinical knowledge.

Have you ever thought of attending a WONCA conference? Maybe you have been to many? Regardless, 2015 brings a variety of events to choose from, and spread all around the world - Croatia, Taiwan, Uruguay, Turkey, UAE, Bangladesh, Ghana.