From the Editor: May 2022

Welcome to WONCA News May!

May is here, which means World Family Doctor Day is coming! This edition is dedicated to our flagship celebration. It represents an important date to support and acknowledge the central role of Family Doctors and Primary Care Teams in delivering personal, accessible and continuous health care for all. 

As you know, our 2022 theme is “Family Doctors, Always There to Care”. Always, There, and Care are the three fundamental campaign pillars of this year's campaign, each with meaningful value. Our president, Dr Anna Stavdal, dedicates her column to World Family Doctor Day and explains the reason for this topic and the significance of the 2022 campaign pillars. Find this comprehensive description in our section “From the President".

In our section “From the Headquarters”, WONCA CEO, Dr Harris Lygidakis, reflects on the future of the Community in WONCA and spotlights the collaborative work within our organisation through our members, working parties, special interests groups, and young doctor movements across our represented regions.

In this edition, besides maintaining our call for solidarity and continue to promote multiple ways to support Ukraine, the WONCA Working Party on Mental Health and the WONCA Special Interest Group on Migrant Care, International Health & Travel Medicine issue an additional statement of support regarding the refugee crisis

WONCA News May also includes information of our World Family Doctor Day 2022 Campaign “Family Doctors, Always There to Care”, and a snapshot of this year’s media kit, including the materials and graphics we’ve prepared to help you tailor your communication and advocacy efforts. Discover all the details of this campaign and join this celebration next Thursday, 19 May 2022!

In this issue you will also find information related to the two recent celebrations: World Day for Safety and Health at Work and International Day of the Midwife. You can also discover Praia Vermelha (Red Beach), a Brazilian band integrated by family physicians. We also share in this edition important updates of the WONCA Regional conferences for 2022 and 2023: meet the International Advisory Group of WONCA Rural Health Conference 2022 in Limerick; the 27th WONCA Europe Conference now goes hybrid; discover the details and welcome message of the Vasco Da Gama Movement Pre-Conference 2022; the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, host of the WONCA World Conference 2023 in Sydney, video invitation to join our #WFDD2022 Campaign, and much more!

Before closing this edition, do not miss out on the most recent announcements and updates from our members and the WONCA Family.

I hope you enjoy this issue, and please remember that you can drop me a line (or an article!) at [email protected].

Happy reading, and stay safe!