Academy of Family Physicians of India

Vision

Transforming health care delivery system in India through enhanced level of community based high quality services.

Mission

Improve health status of communities both in urban and rural areas by building up an environment of change and reform by promoting education / training of skilled primary care physicians and their integration in health care delivery system

Objectives

Supporting Primary Care as backbone of Universal Health Coverage

Supporting development of family doctor and primary care teams network for delivery of universal health coverage for Indian population

Advocacy Role

(a) Active participation in formulation of national health policies.

(b) Promote family medicine / general practice as an academic discipline and speciality of medical science

(C) Supporting training and availability of "Skilled Primary Care Physician" for community and rural.

(d) Creating awareness among public/ private agencies engaged in health care delivery regarding speciality of "Family Medicine" and creating an environment conducive for induction of skilled family physicians within the health system.

(e) Reforms in medical education system in India.

(f) Creating awareness among medical students about primary care, community based health services and rural health services.

Quality Education

(a) Develop community need based undergraduate and post graduate Family Medicine training Curriculum.

(b) Promote residency based full-time Family Medicine Training at post graduate level at NBE accredited institutions as well as university based medical college hospitals and associated community level health facilities.

(c) Advocacy for starting large number of horizontally located residency training programs leading to decrease in gap between undergraduate and postgraduate training opportunities.

(d) Develop educational programs in the traditionally neglected areas of medical practice (in India) such as adolescent health, geriatrics, palliative care, clinical prevention, travel health, occupational health, environmental health, emergency medicine, home based care etc.

(e) Organising family medicine focus CMEs and conferences.

(f) Promoting learning opportunities for primary care doctors

Practice standardisation and promotion

(a) Education of practice management to members leading to enhanced level of services available to individual and communities.

(b) Setting benchmarks and standards for delivery of Family Medicine services.

(c) Accreditation system for ongoing quality management.

Shouldering Public Health Responsibilities

(a) Actively participate in National Health Programs

(b) Proving training and human resource for National Rural Health Mission

(C) Creating and delivering patient and community education programs related to prevention, promotion, management, rehabilitation of clinical as well as public health problems.

The academy is working towards empowering of primary care physicians in India for better health outcomes.[4] AFPI advocates academic institutionalization of community health services.[5] As an outcome of advocacy initiatives of AFPI, the first MD family medicine program[6] was started at Kozhikode Medical College, Kerala. Under PMSSY (Prime Minister's Swasthys Suraksha Yojana) all newly instituted AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) have established a new department in the name of department of community medicine and family medicine.[7]

AFPI has supported equal professional opportunities and career progression[8] for the primary care physicians at par with any other speciality.[9]

NHSRC (National Health System Resource Centre) conducted a national consultation on family medicine in partnership with AFPI.[10] The academy is working for popularising academic family medicine across the country.[11]

The National Health Policy (NHP) 2017 announced recently, specifically mentions family medicine speciality and mandates popularisation of programs like MD in family medicine or General Practice. Previously National Health Policy 2002 had strongly recommended promotion of family medicine training in India. NPH 2017 recommends that a large number of distance and continuing education options for general practitioners in both the private and the public sectors, which would upgrade their skills to manage the large majority of cases at local level, thus avoiding unnecessary referrals.[12]

National Consultation on Family Medicine: Organised by NHSRC Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in partnership with Academy of Family Physicians of India India International Center New Delhi 19 April 2013

The academy publishes the peer-reviewed medical journal, Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, established in January 2012. The journal publishes quarterly issues. JFMPC was launched at WONCA South Asia Regional Conference 2011 in Mumbai by WONCA world president Prof Richard Roberts.[13] The journal is indexed in PubMed Central/PubMed[14] and follows a gold open access model.[15]

FMPC (National Conference on Family Medicine and Primary Care) is the official academic event of AFPI [16] which provides forum for primary care physicians and health care professionals across spectrum to discuss and disseminate their academic as well as professional experiences.[17] FMPC is also open to ordinary citizen for participation towards setting healthcare agenda. The second national conference was organised from 19–22 November 2015[18] at Indian Habitat Centre New Delhi.[19] The conference was addressed by union minister for health and family welfare government of India Mr JP Nadda.[20]

Inauguration ceremony of FMPC 2015 22 November 2015 by Union Health Minister Government of India Mr JP Nadda

The third national conference (FMPC 2017) was organised at IMA House, Kaloor, Kochi from 27 to 29 January 2017. The president of the National Board of Examination (NBE) Dr Abhijat Sheth graced FMPC 2017 as chief guest. Dr Bipin Batra Executive Director NBE, delivered the 2nd Dr P Padmanabhan Memorial Award Oration during this event. The fourth National Conference of Family Medicine and Primary Care is scheduled in the month of August 2019 in Bangalore, the capital city of Karnataka state of India.

One of the key objectives of Academy of Family Physicians of India is to facilitate development of youth leadership eager to take forward primary & rural healthcare in India; both in the academic as well as professional domain. AFPI launched a popular campaign "100 Leaders of Family Medicine" in 2014 to recognise emerging youth healthcare leaders from different parts of India. These leaders were part of the organising committee which successfully organised the 2nd National Conference of Family Medicine and Primary Care in New Delhi.

AFPI organises family medicine post graduate updates in conjunction with FMPC. The first FMPG Update was organised at Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences New Delhi on 19–20 November 2015. The purpose FMPG is to provide to prepare post graduate trainees for recent updates in the area of family medicine and primary care. FMPG also provides skill up gradation opportunity to the practising family physicians, general practitioners and medical officers.

AFPI launched run for family health campaign on 21 April 2015, aimed at promoting awareness about role physical activity and exercise towards promotion of good health. Noted athletic hero Mr Milkha Singh launched the campaign.

AFPI Campaign Run for Family Health - Physical Activity for all family members. launched by Olympian and Indian Athletic legend Mr Milkha Singh

AFPI has instituted an oration award in the name of Dr P Padmanabhan. Dr Padmanabhan was a noted public health expert who worked at National Health System Resource Center. Dr Padmanabhan is renowned for his contribution to the public health system of Tamil Nadu state specially in the field of maternal and child health. He was a great supporter of family medicine training for medical officers and envisaged family medicine as solution of medical care in community setting. The first P Padmanabhan memorial award was delivered by Mr keshav Desiraju former health secretary government of India at FMPC 2015. The second award was received by Dr Bipin Batra Executive Director of the National Board of Examination.

First Dr P Padmanabhan Memorial Award was delivered by Mr Keshav Desiraju Government of India on 21 November 2015 during FMPC 2015.

Senior doctor couple from Mumbai instituted this award to support young doctors and medical students from South Asia Region, training in the field of family medicine, enabling them to participate at international conference and academic activities. Drs Jyoti and Raminik have pledged a donation of INR 100,000 annually to AFPI to be disbursed as award money. Young doctors from South Asia region (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal) are eligible to apply for this award opportunity.[21]

The Academy of Family Physicians of India is a member of World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA). AFPI was an organising partner for WONCA South Asia Regional conferences in Mumbai 2011 [22] and Chennai 2014.[23] The academy facilitates international exchange opportunities for family medicine trainees through WONCA FM 360 exchange programs across world.[24] AFPI is a founding member of "The Spice Route Movement" - forum for young and recently qualified family medicines specialists in the WONCA South Asia and SAARC region.[25]

Academy of Family Physicians of India (AFPI) hosted the 15th WONCA World Rural Health conference (WRHC2018) from 26 to 29 April 2018 at India Habitat Center New Delhi. The theme of the conference was "Healing the heart of healthcare". The conference attracted more than a thousand delegates from 40 countries. The Vice President of India Mr M Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the conference in the presence of Mr Ashwani Choubey Minister of state for Health and Family Welfare Government India. WRHC 2018 also hosted national consultation on strengthening rural primary healthcare in India in partnership with Niti Ayog, Public Health Foundation of India. Leading Indian and international universities participated in the event. The conference unanimously culminated into adoption of Delhi declaration 2018 which call for rural proofing of policy across world, if countries are to achieve sustainable development goals by 2030. Delhi declaration has been endorsed by World Health organisation (WHO).[26]

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