WONCA President writes to Australian colleagues

President's Messages Feature Stories January 2020

January, 2020

WONCA President, Dr Donald Li has written to the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) to express his sadness and sympathy for colleagues in the wake the current devastation and loss of life in many parts of Australia as a result of fires.

The President, CEO and all of the WONCA Executive are watching with profound sadness as the fires rampage through your gorgeous country. We extend our condolences to our Member Organisation’s members, families, friends and patients at such a horrendous disaster. The deaths, and destruction of homes and businesses, must be horrifying to witness.

We also realise that you, as family doctors, will be faced with the aftermath of this crisis, dealing with the consequences to families affected by the disaster. For some, their lives are completely uprooted. The rebuilding process will be long and hard. The trauma will stay with some for many years to come, and family doctors will bear the biggest responsibility for treating those patients. Some of those who are suffering loss and destruction are family doctors themselves.

We, as the WONCA family, extend our sympathy to all of you and our hopes for a safe resolution.
Sincerely,
Donald Li

RACGP President, Dr Harry Nespolon has sent his thanks to our President, Donald Li and also said "What is happening in Australia with the bushfires is truly apocalyptic. What is worse is that this is likely to continue for another two months unless there is some decent rain." Dr Nespolon has written to the members of his own College, the RACGP, with practical measures to support GPs in fire-affected communites.