A group of doctors have stressed the importance of family physicians in the healthcare ecosystem, saying they can deliver holistic treatment and prevent unnecessary burdens on secondary and tertiary hospitals.

Members of the Academy of Family Physicians of India (AFPI), which celebrated its foundation day on September 25, called for the inclusion of training as family physicians in the MBBS course.

They act as a single point of contact for all healthcare needs of a family and prevent unnecessary burdens on secondary and tertiary healthcare systems, they underlined.

Dr Raman Kumar, AFPI national president said, "A family physician is not only a family doctor but acts as a guide, which helps a family in making informed healthcare decisions."

AFPI foundation day was attended by doctors from across India and experts from various fields conducted a national consultation on the mandatory inclusion of 'training as family physician' in the MBBS course at all Indian medical colleges in the background of COVID-19.

"This AFPI foundation day was also declared 'National Family Medicine Day', Dr Kumar said. Dr SK Sarin, Director of Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, New Delhi, and president, National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS), delivered the foundation day oration. Family physicians play a pivotal role in the prevention of diseases and their complications, he said.

The Director of the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) highlighted the in the country and emphasised on its revival and the integration of family physicians with the health system.

He said, "Training MBBS doctors as family physicians is of paramount importance. There should be a structured course during MBBS as all doctors need not become hospital-based specialists."

The Director of AIIMS Gorakhpur was the chief guest of the programme. During her speech, she assured to raise the issue of family physicians and their training with the National Medical Commission as its member.