Family Medicine in the Arab World in particular in the GCC area. Why family medicine is so important

1. Prof Faisal Alnasir

2. Prof Faisal Abdul Latif Alnasir FPC, FRCGP, MICGP, PhD
Chairman: Dept. of Family & Community medicine
Former :President Scientific Council for Family & Community
Medicine
The Arab board for Medical Specializations
Email: faisal.alnasir@gmail.com
Development of Family Medicine in
the Arab World
Prof Faisal Alnasir

3. Establishment of Arab Board
Arab countries reviewed their policy education medical.
Minister of Health of GCC Council in 1978 decided to
establish the Arab Board for Medical Specializations.
Prof Faisal Alnasir

4. Aims of the Arab Board for Medical
Specialization
•Improve medical services.
•Develop training guidelines
•Laying the foundations of assessment methods.
Prof Faisal Alnasir

5. ‫والمجتمع‬ ‫األسرة‬ ‫طب‬
Family and Community Medicine Council
Established in 1986
Prof Faisal Alnasir

6. Scientific Council’s Presidents:
• Prof Zuhair Alsebai
• Dr Shawqi Ameen
• Prof Mustafa Khojali
• Prof Faisal Abdul Latif Alnasir
• Prof Ghassan Hamada
Prof Faisal Alnasir

7. Members of the Scientific
Council
-Member from the MoH
-Member/s from the University (up to 3)
Constitution
President
Vice President
Secretary
Members
Prof Faisal Alnasir

8. Council’s Committee:
• Examination Committee
• Training Committee
Prof Faisal Alnasir

9. Meetings
Councils Meeting ; Once every two years
Executive Council; Once every two year
(Alternate)
Committees; once every year
Prof Faisal Alnasir

10. Countries with an Arab Board certified training
programs
• Bahrain
• Saudi Arabia
• Lebanon
• Qatar
• UAE
• Oman
• Jordan
• Egypt
• Iraq
• Yemen ?
Prof Faisal Alnasir

11. Duration of training
The duration of training for certification in
family medicine is four years, ended by a final
exam.
Prof Faisal Alnasir

12. Subjects Programs’
Duration
Introduction to Family Medicine
Medicine
Pediatrics
Ob/Gyn
Surgery
Psychiatry
Dermatology
Ophthalmology
2
5
4
3
3
2
1
1
Curriculum
Prof Faisal Alnasir

13. Subjects Programs’
Duration
E.N.T
Radiology & Lab.Medicine
Community Med. Courses**
Research Project
Family Med.Center attachment
Elective
Holiday
Total duration in months
1
1
4
-
9
5
4
48
Prof Faisal Alnasir

14. Examples of optional training
Nutrition Health education
Physiotherapy Rehabilitation
Psychotherapy Sports Medicine
School health Travel medicine
Occupational medicine Antenatal care
Well baby clinic Diabetes Care
Chronic disease Endemic diseases
Geriatric care Home care
Children mental health Medical audit
Disability Care Community psychiatric
Adolescent health
Prof Faisal Alnasir

15. To enroll in Family Medicine Council:
•Recognized training programs
•Completion of training
•Skills required to practice Family Medicine
•Final exam
Prof Faisal Alnasir

16. Family Medicine Exam
Once per year
Two parts:?
Part I: written.
Part II: practical (clinical) examination.
Prof Faisal Alnasir

17. Number of Graduates
Around 2000 in the Arab World
For the Arab world Family Medicine ---ultimate goal of
health provision.
Needs
Prof Faisal Alnasir

18. Number of Graduates
Around 2000 in the Arab World
For the Arab world Family Medicine ---ultimate goal of
health provision.
Needs
Countries Need Duration
Arab
World
160000 1600
Iraq 10000 300
Bahrain 600 30Prof Faisal Alnasir

19. Saudi Ministry of Health seeking 13,000
family doctors.
Hired 4,000 and another 7,000 within two
years for the 150 Family Health Centers in
various parts of the Kingdom.
Dr. Obaid Ibn Sulaiman Al-Obaid, deputy health minister
The existing Primary Healthcare Centers in
the Kingdom are being converted into Family
Health Centers with added facilities and
health officials.
Arab News RIYADH, 23 January 2008Prof Faisal Alnasir

20. 20% of all doctors in the six
GCC should be trained as
specialists in family medicine
in the next 10 years.
RIYADH, 7 June 2007
Prof Faisal Alnasir

21. People living in countries with
an abundance of primary care
physicians have a better quality
of life
Dr. Muntazar Bashir KFSH & RC2007
Prof Faisal Alnasir

22. A well-trained family physician is
able to deal with eighty percent of
health problems that affect the
human being, whether the person is
a child, adult, male or female.
AUB Dept of Family Medicine
Prof Faisal Alnasir

23. The family unit is the backbone of any country.
Looking after the heath of this unit is of
paramount importance. And family practice
should be in-built within the national health policy.
Prof. Lalitha Mendis, Director, Post-Graduate Institute of Medicine (PGIM), University of Colombo,
Prof Faisal Alnasir

24. History of Family Medicine
•In 1923, Francis Peabody called for return of the generalist
physician. "The secret of the care of the patient is in caring for
the patient."
• In 1966, the concept of a new specialty in primary care
received official recognition in two separate reports;
1. Report of the Citizens’ Commission on Graduate Medical
Education of the American Medical Association
2. The Ad Hoc Committee on Education for Family Practice of the
Council of Medical Education of American Medical Association
Prof Faisal Alnasir

25. •In 1969, American Board of Family Practice (ABFP) became
the twentieth medical specialty board
•In 1971, American Academy of General Practice
was renamed the American Academy of Family
Physicians (AAFP).
•In 1952, Royal College of General Practitioners UK
•In 1958, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
•In 1984, Irish College General Practitioners (ICGP)
Prof Faisal Alnasir

26. Turkey 1961
Bahrain 1978
Lebanon 1979
Jordan 1981
Kuwait 1983
KSA 1987
Arab Board 1986
Qatar, UAE 1994
Oman 1994
Egyptian Board 2003
Iraq Recent
Libya 2006
Yemen To start
Development of Family Medicine in Middle East
Prof Faisal Alnasir

27. Providing optimal generalist care requires broad and
comprehensive training that cannot be gained in brief
and uncoordinated educational experiences.
The generalist physician defined as one “who provides
continuing, comprehensive, and coordinated medical
care to a population undifferentiated by gender,
disease, or organ system”
(Kimball and Young, 1994).
Prof Faisal Alnasir

28. Family physician
Provides primary, continuing, Comprehensive
medical care in a personalized manner to patients
and to their families of all ages, regardless of the
presence of disease or the nature of the presenting
complaint. They also provide maintenance and
preventive services to each member of the family
regardless of sex, or type of problem be biological,
behavioral, or social.
Prof Faisal Alnasir

29. Prof Faisal Alnasir

30. There is an urgent need to foster
and encourage the work of the
family physician within the team
of FM in the Arab world
Prof Faisal Alnasir

31. Conclusion
Therefore decisions ought to be taken and efforts
are to be made in order to establish more training
programs in the Arab World to produce skilled
Family Physician
Prof Faisal Alnasir

32. Prof Faisal Alnasir

33. Prof Faisal Alnasir

34. Prof Faisal Alnasir

35. Prof Faisal Alnasir

36. Prof Faisal Alnasir
Reward after hard work