
World Family Doctor Day is being observed on 19th May 2022 to highlight the role and contribution of family doctors in health care systems around the world . Family Doctors day provides a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge the central role of Family Physicians in the delivery of personal , comprehensive and continuing health care for all of our patients , brings attention to the important work family physicians do , and make the community understand the role played by Family doctors in long – term patient – physician relationship .
‘ Family Doctor ‘ is not a new concept in India . Historically Family Doctors used to be generalist practitioners who would not only act as health managers but as a friend , philosopher , protector and guide for a family . Those days the community reposed enormous faith in the easily accessible and affordable Family Doctor .

However during the past few decades fragmentation of medicine into subspecialties has made generalist mode of practice languished . Spectacular advances were made in health sector with focus on expertise in single organs , systems or diseases . It is the development of these subspecialists and their concentration in hospitals that has given rise to a growing demand in the community for a physician , who is caring , accessible and who is also an expert . The emergence of a clinical specialty called ‘ Family Medicine ‘ has created a hope for reviving the ancient traditions of general medicine and redefining ” Family Doctor ” who is best trained to meet the requirement of the modern era . Family medicine is a person centered specialty which provides comprehensive care through a continuous healing relationship oriented towards a family in particular and community in general . ” Person centeredness ” is the indispensable core principle of Family Medicine and seeks to promote the wholeness of the whole person by a holistic approach to any medical problem .
COVID 19 Pandamic has once again re emphasized the importance of a robust Primary health care delivery system . While the media and public were applauding the tertiary care hospitals for the way they handled critical cases , the primary care workforce was working relentlessly doing their best in preventing complications and significantly reducing burden on the hospitals , Be it testing and contact tracing , treating and monitoring Home isolation cases or even vaccination at public sector has seen primary care workers taking the lead .
In the backdrop of the current scenario of growing negative perception about medical profession in the community , there’s a great need for promoting family practice for the purpose of reestablishing patient confidence in the noble profession . There’s a need for the young medical graduates to come forward and make a contribution to community by choosing family medicine as a specialty . Family Medicine fraternity has a great role to play in redefining the concept of Family Doctor by preparing the next generation of Family physicians.
World Organization of National Colleges , Academies and Academic Associations of Family Physicians ( WONCA ) has declared May 19th as the World Family Doctors day which has become a day to highlight the role and contribution of family doctors in health care systems around the world . In line with the objectives of WONCA the Academy Of Family Physicians of India ( AFPI ) striving hard to revive the concept of Family Doctor in the present context and popularize Family Medicine as a clinical specialty . A series of professional and social activities are planned by AFPI Karnataka state chapter to observe World Family Doctor day on 19th May 2022 . ”
Dr. Mohan Kubendra, Dr Ramakrishna Prasad,Dr.Gowri Chinthanapalli & Dr Anupama Nagaraj were present in the press meet.
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