World Organization of Family Doctors - WONCA

09/12/2025

FEATURED DOCTOR - DR JUAN CARLOS PEROZO GARCÍA

From Falcón, Venezuela, Dr Juan Carlos Perozo García is a family doctor, epidemiologist, educator, and tireless advocate for the role of family medicine in rebuilding community and trust. He leads research and postgraduate training at the Universidad Nacional Experimental Francisco de Miranda and serves as Secretary of Interinstitutional Relations for the Venezuelan Society of Family Medicine (SOVEMEFA). In this profile, he reflects on the challenges facing healthcare in Venezuela, the deep value of regional and global solidarity, and the belief that family medicine is more than a specialty—it is a civilisational project. He also shares the story of Una Sonrisa en Navidad, an initiative bringing food, music, and joy to children in vulnerable communities each Christmas.

https://www.globalfamilydoctor.com/member/WoncaPeople/PEROZOGARCA_JuanCarlos.aspx

08/12/2025

The latest WONCA East Mediterranean Region Newsletter is now available. This December 2025 edition highlights powerful work across the region, including the first Family Medicine Teaching Clinic in the West Bank, updates on the Regional Diploma Committee, and EMR contributions at the WONCA World Council in Lisbon.

Edited by Dr Suha Hamshari, this issue reflects the dedication of family doctors serving communities through challenging times.

Read the full newsletter here:

WONCA is the World Organization of Family Doctors, with 118 Member Organizations representing over 500,000 family doctors in over 130 countries and territories around the world, and working in partnership with the World Health Organisation.

06/12/2025

The Working Party on Mental Health invites you to the online launch of Tone of Mind, a 15-minute documentary created as part of the Music and Mental Health Project led by Dr Alfredo de Oliveira Neto (Brazil). This project began during COVID, when WONCA colleagues from around the world sought ways to ease the emotional strain felt by patients, families, and health workers through music. Since then, the group has organised webinars, co-created an original song and music video, produced sing-along recordings, and published work on the role of music in supporting wellbeing.

Tone of Mind, directed by Tristan Pemberton, shares stories from Brazil, South Africa, India, and Australia, showing how music can act as a tool for care. The premiere will include a virtual meeting with the musicians featured in the film, short reflections from the director and WONCA leaders. Join the online premiere and gather together with colleagues and music.

Date: Thursday, 18 December 2025.
Time: 13:00 UTC.
Register on Zoom: https://eu01web.zoom.us/meeting/register/zNhHyQigRNWkfiYnmmjeig #/registration

05/12/2025

💬 “Use these sources only… and tell me if the evidence is weak or conflicted”

Family doctors are using AI in daily practice. In this short clip, Dr Şeyma Handan Akyön shares a simple way to get safer, more accurate answers from AI tools.

Watch the full webinar "Strengthening the Doctor–Patient Relationship: Reflections from a Young Family Doctor on Artificial Intelligence"

The latest webinar is our series on Human Factors Science in Primary care. Available on YouTube https://youtu.be/tsAoEFjI7XI

04/12/2025

WONCA is inviting applications for the Donald Li Young Doctor Movement (YDM) Global Scholarship, recognising outstanding young family doctors who show leadership, commitment to primary health care, and impact in their communities.

Who can apply
✅ Young doctors in family medicine training, or in the first 5 years of family medicine practice (as per WONCA Bylaws)
✅ Active contributors to YDM activities in their region
✅ Applicants who can show leadership through advocacy, education, or community impact

Eligibility and evaluation criteria
✅ You must be a national of a low- or middle-income economy country (World Bank classification)
✅ You must be an active member of your regional YDM, with a supporting letter from the regional YDM Lead
✅ You should show clear motivation to attend the upcoming WONCA Regional Conference, and to contribute to strengthening primary care and family medicine in your community or region
✅Scholarship awardees must submit a 500-word report to the YDM Committee after the conference, summarising experience and key learnings

How to apply (submit all items)
✅ Application form
✅ CV
✅ Letter of motivation
✅ One reference letter (professional, mentor, teacher, or organisation)
✅ YDM confirmation (from the YDM Lead)

Deadline: Friday 29 January 2026

Go to: wonca.com or https://www.globalfamilydoctor.com/member/awards/DonaldLiYDMGlobalScholarship.aspx

04/12/2025

WONCA Présidente élue Maria Pilar Astier Pena s’adressant au public lors du Congrès national des enseignants de médecine générale à Toulouse 🇫🇷.

Dans de nombreux systèmes de santé, la médecine générale fait face à des défis communs, effectifs et fidélisation, vieillissement de la population, inégalités d’accès, ainsi que les opportunités et les questions éthiques liées au numérique en santé. La formation est souvent le premier lieu où ces enjeux sont pris en compte, en préparant la prochaine génération de médecins de famille à des soins ancrés dans la communauté.

Merci aux organisateurs pour leur accueil, et à toutes et tous les enseignants pour votre engagement.

Crédit photo : Maria Pilar Astier Pena.

EN: WONCA President-elect Maria Pilar Asteria Pena addressing the national congress of family medicine teachers in Toulouse.

Across health systems, general practice is facing shared pressures: workforce and retention, ageing populations, unequal access, and the opportunities and ethics of digital health. Education is where many of these challenges are met first - by preparing the next generation of family doctors for community-based care.

02/12/2025

Wellington will host the World Rural Health Conference in 2026, welcoming participants to Aotearoa New Zealand. The theme is Whānau Ora: Integrating Mātauranga Māori with rural health for a thriving future. The organisers aim to offer a deep introduction to the cultural landscape of Aotearoa and the realities of delivering care in rural communities.

The programme includes the Rural Seeds stream for young rural doctors and a strong keynote line-up. Sir Ashley Bloomfield will speak on the leadership needed for today’s health systems. Dr Jo Scott-Jones will deliver the John McLeod Oration.

RuralWONCA 2026 will be held from 10–13 April 2026 at Tākina Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand. Abstract submissi...

29/11/2025

Beyond better screening, diagnosis, and follow-up, artificial intelligence also promises to strengthen therapeutic relationships by reducing administrative load. This session will review worldwide examples of AI tools that deepen the doctor–patient relationship, analyse challenges through a human factors perspective, and summarise takeaways from the latest evidence.

Dr Seyma Handan Akyon is a young researcher and family medicine specialist in Türkiye. Her special interests include geriatric care, home health services, artificial intelligence, and digital health technologies in primary care. She serves as the co-lead of the WONCA Young Family Doctors’ (YDM) Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence Special Interest Group. She has developed applications, published several papers, and leads projects on the use of AI in medicine. She is a member of the Human Factors Core Group.

Register: https://tinyurl.com/woncahuman5

🇺🇸 New York: 09:00
🇧🇷 São Paulo: 11:00
🇬🇧 London: 14:00
🇧🇪 Brussels: 15:00
🇰🇪 Nairobi: 17:00
🇹🇷 Istanbul: 17:00
🇮🇳 New Delhi: 19:30
🇮🇩 Jakarta: 21:00

28/11/2025

Applications for the Montegut Global Scholars Program 2026 are now open.

WONCA is committed to promoting equity in global health by helping family doctors from low and middle income countries access important professional development opportunities, including our global, regional and rural conferences.

One family doctor from each of our seven regions will receive a 3500 USD bursary to attend a WONCA Regional or Rural Conference in 2026. The award supports early or mid-career GPs active in education, research or quality improvement who may face financial barriers to taking part.

This program is generously supported by the American Board of Family Medicine Foundation, and we thank them for their continued commitment to strengthening family medicine worldwide.

If you know someone who would benefit, please share this post.

Apply by 2 January 2026:
https://woncawfdd.questionpro.com/Montegut

26/11/2025

How do we build stronger primary care teams and advance health equity across the Americas?

At the American Public Health Association's Annual Meeting, WONCA President Dr Viviana Martinez-Bianchi shared new PAHO–WONCA research on family medicine workforce realities and training trends, plus insights from WONCA's projects on core values in family medicine.

Read more: https://www.globalfamilydoctor.com/News/APHA2025.aspx

25/11/2025

How can patient voices help us build better primary care?

The OECD’s Patient-Reported Indicator Surveys (PaRIS) report Does Healthcare Deliver? brings together the experiences of more than 107,000 people with chronic conditions and over 1,800 primary care practices across 19 countries. It shows that when care is more person-centred, people report better health, better mental health and better wellbeing.

WONCA and our members have been deeply involved in PaRIS, from the first design of the survey through to the launch of the flagship report. For family doctors, PaRIS is a powerful advocacy tool to argue for stronger primary care teams, better coordination and policies that reflect what matters to patients.

On 2 December 2025, 11:00–12:00 CET, the OECD will host a webinar:

“Advancing healthcare systems towards people-centred care: Results from the OECD PaRIS surveys”.

Speakers include:
Stefan Gijssels, Patient Expert Center
Dr Viviana Martinez-Bianchi, WONCA President
Angel Gonzalez, OECD Health Division

📅 Date: 2 December 2025
🕚 Time: 11:00–12:00 CET
💻 Online OECD webinar

🔗 Register: https://www.oecd.org/en/events/2025/12/advancing-healthcare-systems-towards-peoplecentred-care-results-from-the-oecd-patient-reported-indicator-surveys-paris.html

📘 Read the PaRIS report: https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/does-healthcare-deliver_c8af05a5-en/full-report/advancing-healthcare-systems-towards-people-centred-care_e98e8f74.html

Please share this with colleagues. Let’s keep using PaRIS findings to strengthen people-centred primary care worldwide.

The Patient-Reported Indicator Surveys (PaRIS) flagship report “Does healthcare deliver?” presents the results from the first international survey of primary care users aged 45 years and older, focusing on people living with chronic conditions. By capturing patients’ self-reported health outco...

25/11/2025

The next WONCA World Rural Health Conference will take place in Aotearoa New Zealand, 10 - 13 April 2026, with a focus on Indigenous health: “Whānau Ora: Integrating Mātauranga Māori, Indigenous knowledge with rural health for a thriving future.”

Learn more at ruralwonca2026.com.

Keynote Speaker Announcement: Professor Kura Paul-Burke

We are honoured to welcome Professor Kura Paul-Burke (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Whakahemo, Ngāti Mākino, Ngāti Pūkeko, Irish) — a leading Māori marine ecologist whose work bridges mātauranga Māori and marine science to protect and restore Aotearoa’s coastal ecosystems.

Kura’s research and partnerships with hapū and iwi exemplify what it means to weave Indigenous knowledge and Western science in service of kaitiakitanga, environmental resilience, and community wellbeing.

Her insights resonate deeply with our RuralWONCA26 theme — Whānau Ora: Integrating Mātauranga Māori, Indigenous Knowledge, with Rural Health for a Thriving Future — highlighting the interconnectedness of people, place, and planet.

Join us in Wellington to hear from Kura and explore how Indigenous-led science and community action are shaping healthier, more sustainable futures.

Learn more & register: https://zurl.co/DqFxd