Zambia Marks World Family Doctor Day 2026 with Call for Compassionate Care in a Digital Era

By Alain Kabinda

Zambia has joined the global community in commemorating World Family Doctor Day 2026 with a strong call for healthcare systems to embrace digital innovation without losing the human connection at the heart of medicine. Health experts and family physicians gathered at  Family Medicine Lecture Room, School of Public health University of Zambia in Lusaka to celebrate the role of family doctors in strengthening primary healthcare while also marking the upcoming graduation of 10 new family medicine specialists from the University of Zambia.

And this year’s global theme is, “Compassionate Care in a Digital World,” the event highlighted the delicate balance between embracing modern healthcare technologies and preserving the empathy, trust, and personal connection that define quality medical care.

Speaking the official opening of the ceremony Association of Family Physicians of Zambia (AFPZ) was both a celebration and a moment of reflection on the future of healthcare.

AFPZ Secretary Dr. Bassim Birkland stated that year’s theme comes at a critical time when digital technologies are rapidly transforming healthcare delivery globally.

                                                   (AFPZ Secretary Dr. Bassim Birkland)

“Technology must strengthen compassion in medicine, not weaken the human connection between doctor and patient,” Dr. Birkland said.

Dr. Birkland further described family physicians as “specialist generalists” uniquely positioned to bridge innovation and patient-centred care.

“As Family Physicians, we are trained to provide comprehensive, continuous, coordinated, person-centred, and community-oriented care across all ages, diseases, and communities. We are often the first point of contact in the health system and remain closest to the people we serve.” Added Dr. Birkland.

He also noted that Zambia’s family medicine sector has continued to grow through collaboration between the Ministry of Health, the University of Zambia and Seed Global Health Zambia.

Dr. Dr. Birkland urged the government to create urgently formal Family Medicine post positions within the Ministry of Health establishment to ensure the deployment of newly trained specialists.

“Without appropriate establishment positions, the country risks underutilizing a highly trained cadre essential for strengthening primary healthcare and achieving universal health coverage,” Dr. Birkland said.

Meanwhile speaking at the same ceremony, on behalf of Dean Professor Hikabesa Haluiindi, Dr. Patrick Kaonga said the future of medicine must remain grounded in compassion even as technology continues to reshape healthcare systems.

                                                    (Patrick Kaonga Lecture/Researcher) 

“Technology must not weaken the human dimension of medicine,” Dr. Kaonga said.

“As healthcare professionals and as a society, we must ensure that the rise of technology does not diminish the values that define healing—listening to patients, understanding families, respecting culture, exercising professional judgment, and responding compassionately to human suffering.” Dr. kaonga said.

He stressed that while digital innovations such as telemedicine, artificial intelligence, and electronic health records offer immense opportunities to improve healthcare delivery, no technological advancement can replace the trust built between a doctor and a patient.

“No technology can replace empathy. No machine can replace human touch. No digital system can substitute the trust built between a patient and a doctor,” Dr. Kaonga said.

The event also marked a major milestone for Zambia’s growing family medicine discipline.

Dr. Kaonga also announced that on May 21, the University of Zambia will graduate ten additional family medicine specialists under its Master of Medicine in Family Medicine programme.

The programme, introduced in 2018, was established to address Zambia’s growing need for highly skilled specialists capable of responding to increasingly complex healthcare demands at community level.

“These graduates are already serving across the country in clinical care, teaching, research, and community outreach,” Dr. Kaonga said.

“Their work is a testament to the fact that investing in family medicine is investing in stronger, more resilient health systems for Zambia.” Dr. Kaonga added.

And Seed Global Health Zambia Country Director Dr. Chikusela Sikazwe said digital transformation must remain people-centred.

                             (Seed Global Health Zambia Country Director Chikusela Sikazwe)

“Healthcare is ultimately about people,” Dr. Sikazwe said.

“It is about the mother seeking reassurance for her child, the elderly patient living with multiple chronic conditions, and the adolescent silently struggling with mental health challenges. In all these moments, patients need more than systems, machines, algorithms, and data. They need a doctor who listens, understands, explains, reassures, and walks with them.” Said Dr. Sikazwe.

He emphasized that while digital tools such as telemedicine, artificial intelligence, and point-of-care ultrasound are revolutionising clinical practice, they must support clinical judgment rather than replace it.

Dr. Sikazwe cited Seed Global Health’s support for integrating point-of-care ultrasound into Zambia’s family medicine training programme as an example of technology enhancing compassionate care.

“It is technology that helps a clinician see more clearly, act more quickly, and care more safely,” he said.

Across the ceremony, a common thread emerged: the future of healthcare lies not in choosing between technology and humanity, but in ensuring both work together.

The graduation of ten new family physicians later this week represents more than an academic achievement—it signals Zambia’s continued investment in strengthening primary healthcare at a time when resilient health systems are needed more than ever.

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