Press Conference - World Family Doctor Day

Virtual Press Conference - World Family Doctor Day 2024

Event Details

Date: 10 May 2024

Times: 04:00 UTC & 14:00 UTC

The World Organisation of Family Doctors (WONCA) invites media representatives to attend a virtual press conference celebrating World Family Doctor Day 2024. This year's theme is "Healthy Planet, Healthy People".

World Family Doctor Day, celebrated annually on May 19th, is a key event in the WONCA calendar, dedicated to highlighting the vital contributions of family doctors in healthcare systems worldwide. This year, our focus is on the connection between the health of the planet and the well-being of our patients.

Session Details

Join us on Friday, 10 May, at one of two sessions:

• Session 1: Viviana Martinez-Bianchi M.D., Dr Sankha Randenikumara, Dr Rajesh Maharaj, Dr Catherine Pendrey
• Session 2: Prof Sir Andy Haines, Dr Alan Abelsohn, Dr Enrique Falceto de Barros, Dr Andrée Rochfort

Each 25-minute session will feature four expert speakers who will share insights for five minutes each, followed by a Q&A session. The focus will be on three key messages:

1. Healthy Planet, Healthy People
2. The Role of Family Doctors
3. Sustainable Healthcare

Session 1 - 10 May, 04:00 UTC

Speakers include:

• Viviana Martinez-Bianchi MD (USA/Argentina): Associate Professor at Duke University School of Medicine and WONCA President-Elect 2023-2025.
• Dr Sankha Randenikumara (Sri Lanka): Family doctor and chair-elect of WONCA’s Working Group on Planetary Health, specializing in sustainable healthcare practices.
• Dr Rajesh Maharaj (Fiji): President of the Fiji College of General Practitioners.
• Dr Catherine Pendrey (Australia): General practitioner and Chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Climate and Environment Medicine Special Interest Group.

Session 2 - 10 May, 14:00 UTC

Speakers include:

• Prof Sir Andy Haines (UK): Winner of the 2022 Tyler Prize, Professor of Environmental Change and Public Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
• Dr Alan Abelsohn (Canada): Family physician and former Chair of WONCA's Working Party on the Environment, specializing in air quality and environmental health.
• Dr Enrique Falceto de Barros (Brazil): A family doctor and environmental advocate based in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Former chair of the WONCA Working Group on Planetary Health.
• Dr Andrée Rochfort (Ireland): A GP, researcher, and educator focused on reducing healthcare's carbon footprint through sustainable practices.

Please RSVP to secure your spot and receive additional information including full speaker bios, press kit, and results of a recent survey of WONCA’s member organizations on the topic of planetary health.

We look forward to your participation!

Contact: Diarmuid Hayes, Communications Officer, WONCA
[email protected]