World Family Doctor Day celebrated in all WONCA regions

2020 FDD Theme: “Family doctors on the front line – first in, last out”

World Family Doctor Day (FDD) – 19th May - was first declared by WONCA in 2010 and it has become a day to highlight the role and contribution of family doctors in health care systems around the world. The event is a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge the central role of our specialty in the delivery of personal, comprehensive and continuing health care for all of our patients. It’s also a chance to celebrate the progress being made in family medicine and the special contributions of family doctors globally.

This year we decided to highlight a theme relevant to the challenges and the responsibilities of family doctors in the new global coronavirus outbreak. – “Family doctors on the front line". We especially want to emphasise that family doctors have a key role in the management of pandemic outbreak and also their pivotal role of "First in, last out."

As is now the custom, the day was celebrated widely in many countries across the globe despite our heavy workload with coronavirus. Video messages were popular this year and some are featured below. While in past years CPD meetings and gatherings were held, this year they were done by webinars. Social media sites feature many videos and photographs from individuals and groups. COVID-19 has only increased the popularity of World Family Doctor Day acknowledgements of family doctors on the front line.

In this report we feature messages from the various WONCA regional groups and acknowledge Bangladesh as the first Member Organization to submit a video. We must again apologise that there are so many activities for FDD that we cannot feature each one or each Member Organization. Its wonderful to be able to report such widespread involvement.


WONCA World Executive

- messages from our President, Dr Donald Li and members of WONCA World Executive



WONCA Europe

 

WONCA Asia Pacific region


And from the WONCA Asia Pacific region Rajakumar Movement for young doctors

WONCA South Asia region

a video from the The Spice Route young doctors movement













Bangladesh - The first Member Organization to submit a FDD video.



East Mediterranean region

WONCA EMR organised a Webinar on May 19 under the title” Family Doctors and the Pandemic: First in and Last out”. The webinar was hosted by Dr Ahmad AlMandhari, the WHO EMR Regional Director who presented the opening remark on “The Role of Family Doctors in Primary Care Fighthing Covid 19”; and Dr Ghassan Hamadeh, Chairperson of Family Medicine and Chief Medical Information Officer at American University of Beirut Medical Centre, who presented on “Telemedicine for Family Doctors: The Basics”. The EMR council members then presented a three minutes video on the role of Family Doctors in Primary Care fighting Covid, each in his/her own country.



WONCA CIMF- Iberoamericana

WONCA CIMF- Iberamericana’s CEO, Dr. Thomas Meoño Martin sent a message and we note a zoom webinar was held for the occasion.

Congrats to all the family of Iberoamerica and the World!
We remember with honor and immense admiration to colleagues who lost the battle during this pandemic process we face day by day!
Strengthened in the principles that govern our specialty and make us make a difference; today our fundamental role resonates in the minds of all people, being more visible and more necessary.
Our vision of integrality based on person-centred care, quality and equity; positions us as leaders in our health systems and in the face of the multiple places and levels in which we perform.
We learn and continue!
Go ahead, always forward!
My respect and admiration to each one always!"
Thomas.

Compartimos en el Día Mundial del Médico Familiar un mensaje de nuestro Coordinador Ejecutivo Dr Thomas Meoño:
Felicidades a todos los Médicos de Familia de Iberoamerica y el Mundo!
Recordamos con honor e inmensa admiración a las colegas que perdieron la batalla durante este proceso de pandemia que afrontamos día a día!
Fortalecidos en los principios que rigen nuestra especialidad y que nos hacen marcar la diferencia; hoy nuestro papel fundamental resuena en las mentes de todas las personas, siendo más visibles y más necesarios.
Nuestra visión de integralidad basada en una atención centrada en la persona, de calidad y con equidad; nos posiciona como líderes en nuestros sistemas de salud y frente a los múltiples lugares y niveles en que nos desempeñamos.
Aprendemos y continuamos!
Adelante, siempre hacia adelante!
Mi respeto y admiración para cada uno siempre
!
Thomas

WONCA Africa

WONCA Africa Highlighted events being held by member organisations and it is noticed that several held webinars, for example the Nigerian Society of Family Physicians of Nigeria (SOFPON)  and the Society of Family Physicians of Ghana




WONCA North America region

USA - American Academy of Family Physicians video


.. and in the same region the Caribbean College of Family Physicians ran a virtual conference " Family Doctors on the frontline: maintaining wellness in Covid 19 pandemic"