"Research in family medicine in countries with limited resources requires enthusiasm, coordination and networking"

This was the key message of Professor's Christos Lionis speech. Prof. Lionis was the President of the Local Organising Committee of the 9th WONCA Rural Health World 2009 Conference, which was held in Hersonissos (Creta Maris Hotel) in Crete from June 12-14, 2009, under the auspices of the Hellenic Ministry for Health and Social Solidarity.

Hosted by the Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Crete, Greece, in conjunction with the practice-based research rural network of Crete and EURIPA, the 9th WONCA Rural Health World 2009 Conference attracted approximately 700 participants from 39 countries during a 3-days interesting program focusing on the core subjects of health inequalities, technologies suitable for rural settings and island medicine.

Well known and esteemed academics and researchers from the USA, Australia, South Africa, Canada and the UK, as well as representatives from major entities such as WHO, the International Network of Physicians without Borders, the WONCA Working Party on Mental Health, the International Primary Care Respiratory Group and the European Society of Primary Care Gastroenterology, honored the conference as keynote and invited speakers addressing the current issues of health inequalities with particular reference to inequalities between rural and urban areas. The role of primary health care, as well as the strategies to be followed for the improvement of health care in islands and remote areas were thoroughly discussed as well.

 Among the Conference's highlights was the Pre-Conference Workshop on Rural Based Medical Education organised by WONCA working party on rural practice on June 11th, 2009. Leaders in rural medicine were invited to discuss on specific topics such as medical school/undergraduate learning, postgraduate learning, health system and research.

About the Organiser

WONCA

The World Organization of National Colleges, Academies and Academic Associations of General Practitioners/Family Physicians is made up of national colleges, academies or organizations concerned with the academic aspects of general family practice. Beginning with 18 members in 1972, it now counts 97 member organizations in 79 countries. In all, the total membership of the member organizations of Wonca is over 200,000 general practitioners/family physicians.

The mission of Wonca is to improve the quality of life of the people of the world through defining and promoting its values, and by fostering and maintaining high standards of care in general practice/family medicine by promoting personal, comprehensive and continuing care for the individual in the context of the family and the community, encouraging and supporting the development of academic organizations of general practitioners/family physicians, providing a forum for exchange of knowledge and information between member organizations of general practitioners/family physicians, and representing the educational, research and service provision activities of general practitioners/family physicians before other world organizations and forums concerned with health and medical care.

 For further details you may visit http://www.globalfamilydoctor.com/