The latest WONCA News is available via the WONCA website, packed with WONCA news, views and events.
“I had travelled to Hanoi, the capital city of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, at the invitation of the Ministry of Health, and the Health Strategy and Policy Institute, to review the work under way to develop the Family Doctor Model across the nation to strengthen primary health care and ensure universal health coverage. Family medicine development is a top priority for the Government of Vietnam and I was asked to advise especially on the lessons that Vietnam could take from experience in family medicine development in other countries with a focus on the education and training of the family medicine workforce…… and on the financial mechanisms needed to ensure high quality, sustainable health care services which will be trusted and utilised by the population”
Read more about Michael Kidd’s fascinating visit to Vietnam, and the reforms taking place.
In his column this month Garth Manning outlines details of the forthcoming WONCA Council meeting. He also highlights the several WONCA awards available, and gives diary dates for key WONCA events throughout 2016.
WHO Call for Contributions to Survey – short notice
An important announcement from WHO. As a joint project between the Patient, Family and Community Engagement initiative and the Universal Health Coverage and Quality Unit of the WHO Service Delivery and Safety department, WHO is conducting a short survey on people’s opinions and perspectives of what universal health coverage means to them. You can help WHO to better understand people’s needs and values about UHC. Your contribution, by completing this short survey of four questions, will offer new insights into how health systems can be more responsive, accessible and of high-quality in your context.
The deadline for submissions is 15th February. Further details of the survey and how to complete it are at the WONCA website.
WONCA Europe – Early Bird deadline approaching!
The organizers of the WONCA Europe conference in Copenhagen (15th to 18th June) have reminded us that the deadline for Early Bird registration is 15th February.
The conference promises to be interesting and dynamic. The keynote speaker is Professor Martin Marshall of UK, who will be talking on making health care affordable in a future Europe. Can we provide high quality primary care and still have a cost-effective system under increasing economic restraints? What, in fact, is the core output of general practice in an integrated healthcare system?