National Doctors' Day

In Australia, there are various dates on which National Doctor’s Day may be recognized, the most participated being the 30th of March.[1][2][3] Tradition the apostle and Evangelist Saint Luke was a doctor, as it is written in the New Testament (Colossians 4:14). Taylor Caldwell's novel "Dear and Glorious Physician: A Novel about Saint Luke" is a historic romance that describes Saint Luke both as a physician and an apostle.

In Kuwait, National Doctor’s Day is celebrated on the 3rd of March. The idea of this celebration came for the Kuwaiti business woman; Zahra Sulaiman Al-Moussawi. And the date was chosen due to it being the birthday of Dr. Sundus Al-Mazidi, her daughter.[4]

In Brazil, National Doctors' Day is celebrated as a holiday on October 18, the day on which the Catholic Church celebrates the birthday of Saint Luke. According to the Church Tradition the apostle and Evangelist Saint Luke was a doctor, as it is written in the New Testament (Colossians 4:14). Taylor Caldwell's novel "Dear and Glorious Physician: A Novel about Saint Luke" is a historic romance that describes Saint Luke both as a physician and an apostle.[5]

National Physicians' Day is celebrated in Canada on May 1. The date was chosen by the Canadian Medical Association in recognition of Dr. Emily Stowe, the first female physician to practice in Canada.[6] Senate Public Bill S-248 will officially recognise the day, if enacted.[7]

In Cuba, National Doctors' Day is celebrated as a holiday on December 3 to commemorate the birthday of Carlos Juan Finlay. Carlos J. Finlay (December 3, 1833 – August 6, 1915) was a Cuban physician and scientist recognized as a pioneer in yellow fever research.[8] He was the first to theorize, in 1881, that a mosquito was a carrier, now known as a disease vector, of the organism causing yellow fever: a mosquito that bites a victim of the disease could subsequently bite and thereby infect a healthy person. A year later Finlay identified a mosquito of the genus Aedes as the organism transmitting yellow fever. His theory was followed by the recommendation to control the mosquito population as a way to control the spread of the sickness. [9]

In India, the National Doctors' Day is celebrated on July 1 all across India to honour the legendary physician and the second Chief Minister of West Bengal, Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy.[10] He was born on July 1, 1882 and died on the same date in 1962, aged 80 years.

Hari Dokter Nasional or National Doctor's Day is celebrated in Indonesia on 24 October each year. The day also marked with the birthday celebration of the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI).[11]

In Iran, Avicenna's birthday (Iranian Month:Shahrivar 1st=August 23) is commemorated as the national day for doctors.[12][13]

In Malaysia, Doctors Day is celebrated on the 10th of October every year. It was first launched by the Federation of Private Medical Practitioners Associations, Malaysia in 2014.[14]

In Turkey, it is celebrated as Medicine Day on the 14th of March every year since 1919.[15]

In the United States, National Doctors' Day is a day on which the service of physicians to the nation is recognized annually. The idea came from Eudora Brown Almond, wife of Dr. Charles B. Almond, and the date chosen was the anniversary of the first use of general anesthesia in surgery. On March 30, 1842,[16] in Jefferson, Georgia, Dr. Crawford Long used ether to anesthetize a patient, James Venable, and painlessly excised a tumor from his neck.[17]

Vietnam founded Doctor's Day on February 28, 1955. The day is celebrated on February 27 or sometimes dates closest to this date.[18]

Nepal also celebrates Nepali National Doctor Day on Nepali date Falgun 20 (4 March). Since the establishment of Nepal Medical Association, Nepal has organized this day every year. The doctor-patient communication, clinical treatment, and community-based health promotion and care is discussed.[19]