I am honored to accept the nomination for WONCA President Elect.
I see the WONCA President role as carrying the baton in a relay—for one term—recognizing that the president is a building block in the continuous efforts to build WONCA stronger. WONCA’s daily business is run by the secretariat, led by the CEO, who holds the continuity.
If I am elected, I will work in accordance with the WONCA Strategic Plan endorsed in 2023, and I will develop it further. The following three objectives from this plan are of particular importance to me:
1. Encourage ambitious professional development
- Secure the development and use of ICPC, the most important intellectual property of WONCA.
- Ensure the global core values project continues and thrives. Understanding the foundation of our discipline is crucial for the common identity of family doctors worldwide.
2. Foster an inclusive organisational culture
All voices shall be heard and all regions equally represented. I am inspired by a vision of WONCA where all regions are equally represented and committed to listening to the needs of our regions. What does the WONCA membership need from us, not least in settings where primary care and family medicine are still at early stages of development?
3. Ensure transparent governance
Ensuring transparent governance is a challenge for all organisations, and its importance should never be underestimated.
I have learned the hard way the importance of diplomacy and dialogue to move forward for the greater good, having lived through a decade-long war and economic crisis in my country.
If elected, I will see my role as president as a bridging force. I will work tirelessly to:
- Bridge primary care and public health, focusing on a strong relationship with the WHO and developing relationships with other primary care organisations.
- Bridge clinical practice and research by supporting SIGs and WPs to share and raise the profile of their excellent work. Evidence-based medicine is important, but it needs implementation in real-life settings to be valid for our patients.
- Bridge clinical practice and education, ensuring training occurs in primary care settings to prepare the next generation of family doctors. We must empower our young doctors and nurture future leaders.
- Bridge the mindsets of high- and low-income settings, reinforcing equitable representation of countries and regions of different economic situations in WONCA.
Family doctor friends, I am committed to excellence in family medicine, compassion, and collaboration. With your support, my aim is to lead WONCA into a future where family medicine continues to thrive and evolve—everywhere, for everyone.
I would be deeply honored to be the first WONCA President from the South Asia Region. THANK YOU!