CCFP REGIONAL TRENDING - Newsletters, Blogs and More

Dr. Paula Henry  a Family Physician and Public Health Practitioner from Trinidad and Tobago, with a passion for global health.  She attended the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona, Jamaica, and graduated in 1980, earning her MBBS degree.  She also holds a Diploma in Theology from Codrington College, Barbados, an MBA from the University of Edinburgh, a Diploma in Political Science from University of London, School of Economics, and an MPH from UWI St Augustine.  Dr. Henry is currently the lead for the WONCA Working Party for Women and Family Medicine (WWPWFM), and the Caribbean Lead WONCA Working Party in Planetary Health. As a director of EarthMedic and EarthNurse Foundation for Planetary Health, she works with other Public Health institutions to underscore that the climate crisis is a health crisis. This is achieved through heightened awareness, education, advocacy and research.  Dr. Henry shares    her perspectives on what mental resilience mea...

  Dr. Shastri Motilal, a Primary Care Specialist in Trinidad, who also serves as a Senior Lecturer and Coordinator of the Postgraduate Programmes in Family Medicine at the Faculty of Medical Sciences, UWI St. Augustine Dr. Motilal, gives his  his perspectives on how healthcare systems can better support doctors in safeguarding their mental well-being. To support doctors’ mental well-being, healthcare systems need to focus on both individual coping mechanisms, as well as creating a supportive work environment. To promote personal wellness training can be offered in stress management, mindfulness, and resilience-building techniques. For example, implementing Balint groups has been shown to reduce physician burnout. This is an opportunity for physicians to discuss challenging cases in a peer group setting that help builds empathy, self-awareness and improve doctor-patient relationships. Teaching and prioritizing self-care to all family physicians should be also standard practice ...

Today's spotlight is  Dr. Marie-Joanna Francis, a founding Director, and current President, of the Caribbean College of Family Physicians (CCFP) Trinidad Chapter.  Dr. Francis is a native of Trinidad and Tobago and a graduate of the University of the West Indies (UWI) School of Medicine (2008). She worked in Emergency Medicine before moving to her passion; Primary Health Care, pursuing her Diploma in Family Medicine (UWI). She served for years in the position of Primary Care Physician II (PCPII) with the South West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA). This role intensely involved medico-legal duties, especially in the area of sexual offences; inclusive of intimate partner violence.  She is presently attached to the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) as a Senior Medical Officer and the Head of the Medical Unit. She is also an advocate for the advancement of the Caribbean Forensic Society in Trinidad and Tobago.  Before her medical path, she was an active voluntee...

Dr. Sonia Roache, current Executive Director of the Caribbean College of Family Physicians (CCFP) and mentor to many locally and regionally. Dr. Roache is a pioneer in Family Medicine in Trinidad. Originally from Jamaica, she graduated from the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, in 1964. She worked in hospital prior to initiating her Family Practice here in May 1968. After 56 years of tireless service to her patients and the wider community, she retired from practice in November 2024.  Below she gives her  perspectives on what mental resilience means to a family physician. MENTAL  RESILIENCE I went, indeed was dragged  into  general practice in 1968 by a fortuitous circumstance, not by choice. It became  immediately apparent to me that all the training that I  had received  as a hospital-based doctor was totally inadequate for this new task.  I had to retrain myself  and accept that to deliver real care in this new milieu...

Mental Resilience in a Changing World Authored by L. T. Hyatt, Administrator at the CCFP Secretariat The 2025 theme for WONCA’s World Family Doctor Day — Mental Resilience in a Changing World — speaks volumes. While it is directed towards family physicians and health and care providers, I believe it resonates far beyond the walls of clinics and hospitals. I'm not writing this as a healthcare professional. I write as Jane — just plain old Jane — a woman living day by day, trying to find the inner strength to keep moving forward. We are all navigating a world that seems to shift beneath our feet. Climate change, political instability, economic uncertainties, and rapid technological changes have become constant companions in our daily lives. On top of that, there is the rising tide of individualism and the increasing disconnect in our communities. In such a world, every single one of us needs an unshakeable armor — that armor is mental resilience. So, what is mental resilience? T...

  World Family Doctor Day 2025: “Building Mental Resilience in a Changing World” By Dr. Amber Wheatley As a family physician practicing in the British Virgin Islands, this year’s theme— “Building Mental Resilience in a Changing World” —deeply resonates with me. In my daily work, and in my own life, I see how essential mental resilience is for navigating the constant flux of our world: from pandemics and hurricanes to economic shifts and climate change. For me, this theme is about preparing ourselves and our communities to ride the emotional rollercoaster of life—the highs and lows, the expected and unexpected—with strength, presence, and compassion. Working in rural and remote medicine, I often witness the profound impact of isolation, uncertainty, and loss. However, I also see immense courage, adaptability, and connection. Mental resilience is not about avoiding hardship—it is about developing the inner resources to face it with grace. As both a physician and yoga teacher, I ...

  Dr. Owen B. O'L. James (Retired Physician, Jamaica) Shares His Reflections on the WONCA World Family Doctor Day 2025 Theme: "Building Mental Resilience in a Changing World" The theme resonates deeply with me, as the "new world"—marked by rapid changes, revisions, removals, and replacements in the environment in which we live and operate—has introduced new stresses and strains. The familiar ways in which we once conducted our daily lives are no longer sufficient. Traditional mores, customs, norms, and standards have been significantly altered, if not altogether abolished. In response, we must develop new processes and approaches, grounded in a careful analysis of our current realities and how best we can adapt to survive—and ideally, to thrive—amidst ongoing transformation. Today, certainty around the accuracy of information has become elusive. We are frequently confronted with misinformation and "alternative facts," which, if acted upon, may lead to ...

  Building Mental Resilience in a Changing World By Administrator - CCFP Celebrating the Heart of Primary Care Each year on May 19 , family doctors across the globe are celebrated for their vital role in health systems and the lives of individuals, families, and communities. This day— World Family Doctor Day (WFDD) —is an opportunity to spotlight the contributions of family physicians and primary care teams, and to raise awareness of the health issues that matter most in primary care. A Brief History of World Family Doctor Day World Family Doctor Day was first launched in 2010 by the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA) . Founded in 1972, WONCA is a global not-for-profit organization representing family doctors and general practitioners across more than 130 countries and territories. The declaration of May 19 as World Family Doctor Day created a space to honor the essential work of family physicians—from delivering frontline healthcare and preventive services to m...

  A Message to GPs and Family Physicians Self-esteem and self-motivation — do not sell yourself short. Unity is power — only we can build ourselves. The general perception of the General Practitioner has long been skewed. Too often, GPs are seen as dropouts, the bottom of the barrel—lazy, lacking in knowledge, money-hungry, and overly concerned with financial stability and social standing. We are sometimes regarded as the old-time “country doctor,” a jack of all trades but master of none. This perception has contributed to limited earning power in our field, where income seems to depend more on quantity than quality. But if we are true to our potential in the profession of Family Medicine—the youngest of all medical specialties—this view is far from accurate. Family Practice is much more than simply being a GP. A Family Practitioner is a GP who is intentional about their choice of profession and mode of practice. They understand the important place Family Medicine holds among ot...

  Veteran caregiver Dr Aldyth Buckland receives WONCA Five Star Doctor award for North American region WONCA, the World Organization of Family Doctors, has awarded Jamaican caregiver Dr Aldyth Buckland, an accomplished general practitioner and family doctor, the organisation’s Five Star Doctor Award, which celebrates excellence in health care. “ The winners for 2024 have demonstrated outstanding contributions in the five key areas: care provider, decision-maker, communicator, community leader, and manager,” WONCA said in a statement. WONCA North America region member organisations are the American Academy of Family Physicians; the American Board of Family Medicine; the Association of Departments of Family Medicine; the Caribbean College of Family Physicians, the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC), and CFPC Section of Teachers & Section of Researchers. Dr Buckland, co-chair of the Planetary Health Working Group at the Caribbean College of Family Physicians, has been a...

  *Congratulations Message from the Caribbean College of Family Physicians*   Professor Colette Cunningham-Myrie, On behalf of the Caribbean College of Family Physicians (CCFP), we extend our heartfelt congratulations to you on your outstanding achievements in the field of family medicine and your paramount expertise in noncommunicable diseases within the Caribbean region. Your remarkable work in addressing critical public health challenges such as diabetes, physical activity, obesity, and sickle cell disease in low and middle-income countries has not only garnered recognition but has also made a significant impact on health outcomes and awareness in our communities. The assessors have aptly noted the practical utility of your research, especially as it utilizes the invaluable data from the Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey. Your timely analyses shed light on pressing public health issues, enhancing our understanding of the chronic disease burden and how local determinan...

  A Tribute to Dr. Oliver Young Pong Founding Member, CCFP-Trinidad & Tobago We join the family medicine community across the Caribbean in mourning the loss of Dr. Oliver Young Pong — a cherished colleague, mentor, and true pillar of the Caribbean College of Family Physicians (CCFP), Trinidad & Tobago Chapter. Dr. Young Pong was a Founding Member of the of CCFP-Trinidad & Tobago  and served faithfully as Honorary Treasurer under the leadership of Presidents Dr. S. Roache and Dr. Chris Beaubrun. He also held the critical role of Bank Trustee for the Trinidad Chapter, serving with integrity, diligence, and a deep commitment to the mission of advancing family medicine in our region. Beyond his service to the College, Dr. Young Pong was a consummate professional — a physician whose dedication to his patients, his practice at Western Medical Centre, and his community reflected the highest ideals of our vocation. He was not only a healer but also a leader, quietly...

  Building Mental Resilience in a Changing World – A Family Physician’s Perspective By Dr. J. Humphreys, MD, MSc IM (Edin), MPhil PPA (Health Policy), MDiv, ThD, PhD, MCCFP, MEAACI, FFM, FICPS, FMC As a family physician and health care provider for the past twenty years, the theme “Building Mental Resilience in a Changing World” speaks directly to the heart of our role in navigating uncertainty—both for ourselves and our patients. The world around us is evolving rapidly, with shifting socio-economic landscapes, public health challenges, climate-related stressors, and digital overload. These changes profoundly impact mental well-being, making resilience not just a concept, but a necessary tool for survival and growth. To me, mental resilience means the ability to adapt, recover, and maintain balance in the face of adversity. It is not about the absence of stress or struggle, but rather the presence of strength, adaptability, hope and the ability to cope without distractions fr...

  “Let Drinks be thy Medicine.'' [Part 1]   Dr. C.V. Alert, MB BS, DM. Family Physician.   “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.'' Hippocrates, Greek Philosopher and Physician, and the Father of Medicine. Both undernutrition and over-nutrition cause major health problems in various parts of the world. In most parts of the Caribbean we still have pockets of undernutrition; however over nutrition and its complications, such as overweight and obesity, dominates the landscape. What we eat and what we drink play a significant role in health promotion and in disease prevention and management. To avoid various disease states, advising persons on variety, balance, and moderation of food and drinks, is important in promoting a healthy lifestyle. It is perhaps unfortunate that, in Barbados today, we have so many unhealthy persons that the focus of many physicians has switched towards attempting to treat, rather than prevent, disease. Simple, everyday c...