Statement of Intent
The WONCA Special Interest Group on Indigenous and Minority Group Health Issues makes the following statement:
1. Cognizant of the fundamental aspiration of all individuals,
families, communities and peoples to achieve and maintain the highest
quality of life;
2. Recognizing the centrality of improved and optimal health to the achievement of the highest quality of life;
3. Recalling the important provisions of the charters, declarations
and instruments of the United Nations, WHO, UNDP and other international
organisations regarding human rights, equity, development, health and
human dignity;
4. Recognizing that the elimination of ethnic inequality (as well as
other violations of universal human rights) is an important prerequisite
for development, including the improvement and achievement of optimal
health;
5. Affirming that the improvement and achievement of optimal health
is dependent on high standards and levels of health care provision,
organisation, teaching and research;
6. Convinced that general practice/family medicine is the cornerstone
of the achievement of high standards and levels of health care
provision, organisation, teaching and research throughout the world;
7. Noting the global benefit of organisation and knowledge exchange
between general practice/family medicine organisations and
practitioners, and between general practice/family medicine and other
organisations concerned with health and medical care;
The Special Interest Group urges the general practice/family medicine
organisations of the world that are constituted as the WONCA to adopt
the following fundamental recommendations regarding indigenous and
minority group equity:
- Enshrine the principle of indigenous and minority group equity within WONCA governance.
- Implement indigenous and minority group equity in all activities of WONCA, in particular the scientific programs of its triennial, regional, and rural meetings.
- Promulgate the pivotal role of ethnicity, indigenous, and minority group as a key determinant of health.
Objectives
• To serve as a focus to stimulate and promote standards of
excellence in the primary care management of cultural competency,
consistent with patient and professional values and with reference to
evidence based health care
• To promote the concept of indigenous and minority groups health issues
• To promote and develop indigenous and minority groups health
research activities in primary care and the primary care interface
• To hold scientific meetings, which may include sessions and workshops,
during WONCA regional and world conferences, to present original papers
and to address broader educational issues through discussion, training
and debate
• To develop and promote appropriate literature for primary care
professionals using a variety of resources, including WONCA Online
• To promote cultural competency world-wide through collaborative
working within WONCA, NGOs, government organisations, patient groups
and other medical colleges
• To address the issue of stigma associated with indigenous and minority groups health issues.