21st WONCA World Rural Health Conference

29/06/2026

Thrilled to share a fantastic milestone for our global rural health community! 🌍
Tourism New Zealand and Business Events Wellington have officially published a case study and video showcasing the success and lasting legacy of our Rural WONCA 2026 conference in Wellington. 🇳🇿
Only a select number of conferences are chosen for these case studies to highlight their international impact. This recognition is about far more than just a successful event—it is a testament to the strength, passion, and dedication of our entire rural health network.
The case study perfectly captures how bringing together rural health professionals, researchers, educators, policymakers, and advocates from across the globe fosters meaningful collaboration and strengthens our shared commitment to improving rural healthcare. 🤝
I highly encourage you to take a few moments to explore these resources and share them with your networks:
📖 Read the Official Case Study:
https://businessevents.newzealand.com/news-and-success-stories/case-study-wonca-delivers-a-rural-health-legacy-in-wellington/
🎥 Watch the Conference Highlights Video:
https://youtu.be/5glcd4s9qjg
On behalf of Rural WONCA, my deepest gratitude goes out to all our members, delegates, speakers, volunteers, partners, sponsors, Board members, Council, and Te Rōpū. Your collective efforts made this outstanding success possible!
Thank you for your continued commitment to sharing our remarkable story with the world.

Dr. Pratyush Kumar
MBBS, DNB - Family Medicine
Chair - Rural WONCA

WellingtonNZ

Wellington welcomed delegates from 40 countries to the 21st World O...

14/04/2026

08/04/2026

02/03/2026

Join us for the third in our WONCA Rural 2026 Pre-Conference Webinar Series!

Date: Wednesday 11th March, 6PM
Platform: Online (registration required)

Description:
Explore how rurality, indigeneity, and socioeconomic deprivation intersect to impact health outcomes. Hear from leading researchers and practitioners on innovative models and research addressing inequities for Māori, Pacific, and other rural populations.

Who should attend?
Rural health professionals, researchers, policymakers, students, and anyone interested in health equity.

Register now: https://zurl.co/DnuZ9

Learn more about the WONCA Rural 2026 Conference: https://zurl.co/UnHyE

Join us for the third in our WONCA Rural 2026 Pre-Conference Webinar Series!

Date: Wednesday 11th March, 6PM
Platform: Online (registration required)

Description:
Explore how rurality, indigeneity, and socioeconomic deprivation intersect to impact health outcomes. Hear from leading researchers and practitioners on innovative models and research addressing inequities for Māori, Pacific, and other rural populations.

Who should attend?
Rural health professionals, researchers, policymakers, students, and anyone interested in health equity.

Register now: https://zurl.co/DnuZ9
Learn more about the WONCA Rural 2026 Conference: https://zurl.co/UnHyE

23/02/2026

We’re excited to welcome Theadora Swift Koller as a keynote speaker for the 21st WONCA World Rural Health Conference.

A global public health leader, she brings international perspective on primary care, policy, and health equity.

Register now: https://zurl.co/G7mey

14/02/2026

Dear Colleagues,

We are excited to announce the launch of the Rural WONCA Fund for Leadership, Innovation, Global Health, and Travel (FLIGHT) Grant.

This program supports medical students and young family doctors with a demonstrated commitment to rural health to undertake experiential learning in a rural clinical setting and critically evaluate a rural health service model.

The Award

Funding: USD $1,000 each to support travel and accommodation of 2 candidates.

Note: Funding will be disbursed following placement approval and acceptance of the final written report.

Conference: Complimentary registration for the Rural WONCA Conference/Global Rural Health Summit.

Eligibility

Applicants must be:

A WONCA Young Doctor (in family medicine training or within the first five years of independent practice); OR

A medical student with a demonstrable commitment to rural health.

Program Requirements

Recipients are required to:

Complete upto 5-day rural placement at a pre-approved site immediately prior to the conference.

Submit a comprehensive written report including:

Description of the rural health model.

Critical review and strengths/limitations.

Policy analysis and implications.

Recommendations for adaptation or scale-up.

Deliver a mandatory oral or poster presentation at the coinciding Rural WONCA Conference or Global Rural Health Summit.

Key Dates

Application Deadline : February 28th 2026
Results : March 7th 2026
Conference Details

Website: www.ruralwonca2026.com
How to Apply

Please submit your application via the link below:

👉 Apply Here - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe88ipUUTl6CA3B97L6M9XAiBEQ0Im-24cVOmQCeWgiCKyDXg/viewform?pli=1

For any queries regarding the application process, please contact us at [email protected]. We encourage you to share this opportunity with eligible medical students and young doctors in your network.

Best regards,

Dr. Pratyush kumar
MBBS, DNB - Family Medicine
Chair - Rural Wonca

07/01/2026

🚨 SCAM ALERT FOR CONFERENCE ATTENDEES 🚨
Hi everyone, please be aware of a widespread travel booking scam.
The Scam: A group calling themselves "Global Travel Experts" (or Gtravel@expertise) is emailing people listed in the conference program. They are targeting speakers and abstract submitters, even those who haven't registered yet.
The Trap: They ask for personal details and credit card info for "travel bookings." These look very professional but are FAKE.
Action Required:
❌ If you receive an email from [email protected], DO NOT REPLY.
✅ Block the sender and mark as spam.
✅ Only book travel through official channels.
Please pass this message along to your teams! WONCA Rural Working Party World Organization of Family Doctors - WONCAWonca AfricaSpiceRoute India WONCA Conference