What is FFPAI?
FFPAI is a convenient acronym comprising the first five initials of the Federation of Family Physicians' Associations of India, an organization to which Medical Associations of General Practitioners/Family Physicians from different parts of India are affiliated as UNITS. FFPAI, for practical purpose, is Indian Organization of Family Doctors.
Structure of FFPAI
FFPAI is made up of Medical Associations of General Practitioners/Family Physicians of India concerned with the academic and other aspects of general family practice. Beginning with 16 member units in 1986, there are now 40 member units in India. In all, the total membership of the member organizations of FFPAI is over 8000 general practitioners/family physicians.
FFPAI represents and acts as an advocate for its constituent member at national and international level where it interacts with world bodies concerned with healthcare and primary care, to uplift the standards of family physicians and their practice.
What is FFPAI’s mission?
The mission of FFPAI is to improve the quality of life of the peoples of India through defining and promoting its values, and by fostering and maintaining high standards of care in general practice/family medicine by promoting personal, comprehensive and continuing care for the individual in the context of the family and the community, encouraging and supporting the development of academic associations of general practitioners/family physicians, providing a forum of exchange of knowledge and information between member units of general practitioners/family physicians, and representing the educational, research and service provision activities of general practitioners/family physicians before other world organizations and forums concerned with health and medical care.
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FFPAI's Aims and Objectives
- To maintain the honour and dignity of Medical Profession in general and Family Physicians in particular.
- To uphold the interest of Family Physicians and promote co-operation among the general practioners.
- To establish an academy of Family Physicians for post graduate education in family medicine in recognized Universities in India.
- To take up research work in family practice/general practice.
- To make representations at Government level, to have effective voice of family physician to be heard at all levels of policy making with regard to Medical Education.
- To organize medical/blood donations camps as a regular feature to help the masses in rural areas and help in relief works during epidemics and natural calamities.
- To conduct educational campaigns among the people in matter of public health, hygiene and sanitation.
- To start Institute of Family Practice at the unit/association level to update family physician with relevant advances in the medical field.
Who runs FFPAI?
- A Central Council comprising the representatives of member units and the Office Bearers of FFPAI governs FFPAI and meets once in a year. An Executive Committee meets 3 times a year to conduct the affairs of the organization in accordance with the memorandum, rules and regulations.
- Central Council Membership of FFPAI Each unit has to nominate 1, 2 or 3 eligible members of their unit as central council members depending upon their total membership.
What does FFPAI do?
There are many ways in which FFPAI has impact on the world of family medicine:
- Scientific activities, finance, bylaws, publications and communications.
- Working groups on the classification of problems encountered in general family practice, rural practice, quality assurance, informatics, the environment, communications and publications, research, health care in general and several aspects of family medicine.
- These committees and groups comprise of experienced family doctors who meet periodically and in between work by correspondence. Over the years they have carried out significant work.
Relations with Other Bodies
FFPAI has close relations with other Health Organizations with similar objectives. Making family medical practice and education more relevant to people's needs, and the contribution of the family doctor to nation's primary healthcare objectives are prime concerns of FFPAI. We are in the process of getting affiliated to WONCA the world organization of family doctors.
Publications
FFPAI publishes its newsletter, FFPAI Medical Times.
The Future
- FFPAI's future plan for next five years is to further its prime objective of improving the health of the people of the country, through fostering and maintaining high standards of primary care by family physicians.
- FFPAI recognizes the importance of under- & post- graduate training in family practice and Continuing Medical Education for family physicians In India and is determined to spare no efforts to continually strive for improvement.
- FFPAI believes that all developing nations can afford to adopt the concept of family medicine for all its primary health care. By so doing, the quality of health care can be improved substantially. Efforts are in progress to avail post graduate degree course in family medicine with a recognised university.
- In particular, FFPAI wishes to encourage and support the development of academic organizations of family physicians. In the last few years, FFPAI has accelerated the process of creating a country-wide network of family physicians committed to the central role of general family practice in health care systems and the advancement of the discipline of family medicine.
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