WONCA World Conference 2023 is being hosted by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) from 26 to 29 October at Sydney’s International Convention Centre. The conference has been themed around recovery, reconnection and revival in primary care. WONCA 2023 aims at providing an unique opportunity to connect and network with local and international General Practice colleagues. It promises to offer a dynamic programme to share research and build best practice, encompassing accredited activities, pre-conference workshops, clinical skills updates, CPR workshops and sessions for practice owners. If you have not registered to attend the Conference yet, please act quickly as it is just around the corner. (please click)

The Hong Kong College of Family Physicians (HKCFP) has decided to bid for hosting the WONCA World Conference 2027. Since the establishment of our College in 1977, it has been our objective to promote and coordinate training, set practice standards and conduct research and development activities in relation to family medicine. In 1987, the HKCFP hosted the first international congress of Family Medicine/ General Practice ever organised in Hong Kong, namely WONCA Regional Conference Asia Pacific Region, and it was attended by over 500 delegates from 35 countries around the globe. In 1995, our College hosted the 14th WONCA World Conference (I was most honoured to be involved in the Conference at the time) which was well attended by over 2,500 delegates. Again in 2009, the College hosted the WONCA Regional Conference Asia Pacific Region, despite being under the threat of the Swine Flu at the time, HKCFP received over 800 attendees from 35 countries.

Over the past decades. the Hong Kong College of Family Physicians has been at the core of the Asia Pacific Region to facilitate a platform for collaboration, where ideas are shared, and connections are made. Hong Kong's strategic location, world-class infrastructure, and outstanding hospitality make it the perfect host city for WONCA World Conference in 2027. From the moment you arrive, you will be immersed in a rich cultural experience, where East meets West.

May in Hong Kong is comfortably warm and there are many excellent modern state-of-the-art meeting venues for medical conferences. Hong Kong is well established as a popular holiday destination with a highly acclaimed and efficient service-oriented hospitality industry.

Family medicine is the cornerstone of primary care, and Hong Kong has long been at the forefront of the development of this vital discipline. We believe that by bringing together the brightest minds, we can shape the future of family medicine. 

The year 2027 marks the 50th Anniversary of the Hong Kong College of Family Physicians. With HKCFP’s proven track record in hosting WONCA conferences, I have every confidence that the 2027 WONCA World Conference in Hong Kong will be another great success to celebrate this important milestone with the global family medicine community. Voting will be conducted in October during the WONCA World Conference in Sydney. Please give HKCFP your full support and wish HKCFP all the best! I look forward to welcoming all of you in Hong Kong for WONCA World Conference in 2027!

As mentioned previously, the Chronic Disease Co-Care Pilot Scheme will be commenced by the Health Bureau in November 2023. (please click) Patients with Diabetes Mellitus (DM) and hypertension are the main target groups. Citizens aged 45 or above without a known diagnosis of DM or hypertension will be eligible for enrolment in a subsidised screening programme with access to investigations and supported by a family doctor from the Primary Care Directory. Healthy participants will be offered Education regarding a healthy lifestyle and the opportunity to undergo repeat screening every 3 years. People with prediabetes, DM, and/or hypertension will receive subsidised care, laboratory support for monitoring, from their paired family doctor and a multidisciplinary team in the community. Another important objective of the Scheme is to build a pool of Primary Care Registry registered family doctors who are devoted to delivering quality primary care for the Hong Kong citizens. The ultimate goals of the Scheme are to shift population-level health-seeking behaviour from treatment-oriented to prevention-focused, to encourage shared responsibility for personal health at an affordable cost, to enable family doctors to maintain continuity of care, and to improve health for all. The HKCFP fully supports that.