Happy World Family Doctor Day!
WEBINAR SERIES: In the lead-up to World Family Doctor Day, Monday 19 May 2025, WONCA’s Working Party on Mental Health is proud to present a global webinar series exploring the central role of family doctors in mental health care. These sessions reflect our campaign’s theme Building Mental Resilience in a Changing World and reinforce the message that primary health care is uniquely positioned to foster mental wellness. The series will explore how family doctors care not only for their patients, but also for themselves and one another.
Topics range from culturally sensitive approaches to mental health, to collaboration between doctors and patients, to core concepts that help clinicians and communities navigate adversity—such as coherence, suffering and hope, and the pursuit of meaningful well-being. A special session will spotlight the MDD Minds project, which has empowered thousands of primary care professionals to better manage depression and prioritize their own resilience. Join us and discover how family doctors, when supported and connected, are catalysts for healing across communities.
Self-Care for Family Doctors
Resilience Building and Mental Awareness (with WONCA Young Doctors’ Movement)
Date: Sunday, 18 May. Time: 14:00 UTC.
Working Together for Change
How Family Doctors and Patients Can Improve Mental Health (with World Patients Alliance)
Date: Monday, 19 May. Time: 12:00 UTC.
Key Concepts for Mental Resilience
Suffering and Hope; Coherence and Engagement; Eudaemonia and Ataraxia
Date: Monday, 19 May. Time: 16:00 UTC.
Cultural Approaches to Mental Health
Tailoring Solutions to Local Communities (with International Federation of Medical Student Associations)
Date: Tuesday, 20 May. Time: 10:00 UTC.
Addressing Depression in Primary Health Care
Lessons from the MDD Minds Project
Date: Wednesday, 21 May. Time: 13:00 UTC.
FEATURED DOCTOR: This special World Family Doctor Day edition features Dr Sunil Abraham, a family doctor and faculty member at Christian Medical College in Vellore, India. In this interview, recorded at the WONCA South Asia Regional Conference 2025, he shares personal insights from working with underserved communities in India and Australia, and reflects on the emotional challenges of a career in medicine, and the importance of self-care, spiritual grounding, and mental resilience for family doctors.
Check the WONCA Playlist including President’s message and a performance of Three Little Birds, from Bob Marley and the Wailers performed by family doctors from across the globe:
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RUN WITH WONCA: As we count down to World Family Doctor Day 2025, we’re inviting the global WONCA community to lace up and get moving together. Physical activity is one of the simplest, most powerful tools we have to support our mental wellness – and it’s even better when we do it as a community. That’s why we’ve launched the WONCA Running Club on Strava.
Join our Running Club: Strava is a mobile app that lets you track your runs, walks, or bike rides using your phone or smartwatch. It’s also a social platform where you can join clubs, follow friends, and cheer each other on. This year’s campaign theme is Building Mental Resilience in a Changing World. Our WONCA running club is a fun, low-pressure way to care for your own mental health, connect with colleagues, and feel part of a shared global movement. Join us here.
