Australia has won an international bid to host over 4,300 family doctors at the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA) World Conference in 2022.
President of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Dr Harry Nespolon, celebrated the RACGP’s successful bid, saying the event will bring the world’s best professionals in family medicine to Australia.
“This is an extraordinary win for the RACGP, Australian GPs and their patients,” Dr Nespolon said. “The opportunities a conference like WONCA 2022 creates for primary care in Australia are endless.
“Doctors from every corner of the globe will converge on Sydney in October 2022 to share research and discuss best practice and techniques to keep people and communities healthy on an international level.
“This gives us the chance to put Australia on an international stage. As a country, we punch well above our weight when it comes to world’s best practice and the standards within general practice.
“Meeting other doctors in our field, hearing their stories, and learning from their experiences will be a most effective way for Australian GPs and their healthcare teams to make decisions that ensure their practice is more efficient and delivers world-class healthcare.”
RACGP partnered with strategic bidding organisation BESydney to win hosting rights for Australia.
“WONCA 2022 will mark 50 years since the global meeting was first held Down Under, attracting doctors from emerging, developing and developed health systems,” said BESydney CEO, Lyn Lewis-Smith.
“WONCA 2022 in Sydney will equip these professionals, the bedrock of the global health system, with the skills and knowledge to keep them at the forefront of world’s best practice.
“Australian health professionals have much knowledge and innovation grown out of unique conditions to share, and this, when combined with our collaborative nature, can move the dial when applied to important global issues, such as the provision of quality healthcare to rural and remote areas.”
New South Wales Health Minister Brad Hazzard congratulated RACGP on securing this wonderful opportunity.
“Best-practice primary health care is fundamental to our world-class health system in delivering improved outcomes for patients,” said Mr Hazzard. “With Australia’s population ageing and rates of chronic disease increasing, GPs now, more than ever, are key to the provision of high-quality, preventative care.”
Australians rely on general practice more than any other area of our health system, with over 2 million Australians visiting their GP every week.
The bid was given financial support by Tourism Australia’s Business Events Bid Fund. “Attracting large-scale international business events to Australia is a critical part of Tourism Australia’s strategy and I’m very pleased that the support helped Sydney secure WONCA in 2022,” said Tourism Australia’s Managing Director, John O’Sullivan.
WONCA 2022 will be held at International Convention Centre Sydney.
