Working Party on Rural Practice

About Rural WONCA

Established to assist rural doctors, nurses, health professionals, administrators, and policy makers find evidence-based information on pressing rural health questions.

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Our organisation

What Rural WONCA is

Rural WONCA is the Working Party on Rural Practice of WONCA — the World Organization of National Colleges, Academies and Academic Associations of General Practitioners and Family Physicians.

Rural WONCA has worked closely with the World Health Organization since 2018 to review the evidence for rural health workforce recruitment and retention. The resources on this website are designed to take this further — providing a toolkit of ideas, evidence, and practical resources for anyone working in or supporting rural health systems.

Anyone with exemplars or innovative solutions to rural health challenges is welcome to submit them via our contact addresses. All submissions are screened, verified, and published when appropriate.

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Current Focus Areas

Priority Topics

check_circle Rural Health Workforce Recruitment & Retention
check_circle COVID-19 Response in Rural Communities
check_circle Rural Medical Education & Training
check_circle WHO Global Strategy on Health Workforce 2030

Resource Contacts

Submit a Resource

Share exemplars and innovative solutions to rural health problems.

mail wprural@wonca.net

Leadership

Key people

Bihar, India

Dr. Pratyush Kumar

Chair, Rural WONCA

Dr. Pratyush Kumar is an accomplished Rural Family Physician based in Bihar, India, specialising in comprehensive primary care, infectious diseases, diabetes, and geriatrics. A prolific researcher and Chief Editor of the Journal of Surgical Specialty and Rural Practice, he is a highly influential advocate for rural health globally. He was the Founder and Inaugural Chair of WONCA Rural South Asia (WoRSA) and has been recognised with numerous honours, including the Healthcare Leadership Award and the Montegut Global Scholar Award.

Australia

A/Prof Bruce Chater

Immediate Past Chair, Rural WONCA

A/Prof Bruce Chater is a Medical Superintendent with Right to Private Practice in rural Australia. He served as the Working Party's inaugural Secretary before taking over as Chair in October 2019. He has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for his dedicated service to Rural Medicine and his community.

Australia

Dr Belinda O'Sullivan

Research Lead, Workforce

Belinda O'Sullivan is a physiotherapist with public health training whose rural research focuses on workforce training, models of care, and practical tools for rural communities. She collaborated with Rural WONCA on the WHO-sponsored rural pathways checklist and works on rural workforce research and practical tools for rural communities.

Australia

Dr Tiana Gurney

Rural Seeds Global Lead

Tiana Gurney is the Global Lead for Rural Seeds, Rural WONCA's youth movement for medical students and young doctors. She is passionate about building supportive communities for the next generation of rural practitioners and advocates for rural health equity across the Asia-Pacific region.

Uganda, Africa

Dr Birungi Mutahunga

Africa Regional Representative

Dr Birungi Mutahunga is a Ugandan physician and rural health advocate representing African member organisations within Rural WONCA. He works on strengthening rural health systems, workforce development, and community-based healthcare models across sub-Saharan Africa.

Executive Committee

Secretary

Canan Tuz

Türkiye

Treasurer

Jo Scott Jones

New Zealand

Students & Young Doctors (Rural Seeds)

Alexandra Ferrara

Canada

Executive Member

Tariq Jagnarine

Guyana

Partners & Affiliates

In partnership with

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How Content is Managed

The resources on this platform are curated and maintained by Rural WONCA. All content undergoes a rigorous screening process prior to publication. We extend our deepest gratitude to our Council Members and GRACE partners for their invaluable support and ongoing collaboration.

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COVID-19 Content

The COVID-19 content is primarily derived from Rural Miscellany, a regular bulletin by Dr John Wynn-Jones, Immediate Past Chair of Rural WONCA, published on behalf of the organisation.

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Disclaimer

This website is provided as a resource for rural health information. Content is screened but readers should use their own judgement. Views do not necessarily reflect those of WONCA or Rural WONCA.

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Rural WONCA Council Area

Access the Rural WONCA Council Area — a dedicated resource space for Council Members and partners with information on governance, activities, and collaborative initiatives.

Go to Council Area