Abstract Body

Omran’s widely acclaimed and equally widely critiqued theory of epidemiological transition postulates that economic development and technological progress improve overall health outcomes for populations and eradicate communicable diseases, shifting the burden of mortality and morbidity to non-communicable diseases (NCDs). However, the COVID-19 pandemic has been ravaging across the world for a year and a half and has arguable made devastating impact on peoples’ lives, health and economies beyond any other disease across Global North and Global South. So is this the last nail in the coffin of Omran’s theory? Is the double burden of CDs and NCDs expanding from Global South into Global North? Do we need a new theory of epidemiological transition to explain global trends? Does the risk of other communicable diseases like COVID-19 remain? Do healthcare systems and pharmaceutical industries need to be reorientated to combat potential future outbreaks?

The aim of this interactive workshop is to explore the importance of communicable and non-communicable diseases and priorities for health systems around the world. The main objective is to learn lessons from a global response to the pandemic and share views about the role of family doctors in combatting the spread of communicable diseases while providing care to patients with NCDs and increasing multimorbidity.

Methods and timetable: the workshop will involve a short 10min initial presentation to set the scene, to be followed by Mentimeter polls and WhiteBoard collaborations for the audience, including an interactive discussions and sharing views on the questions mentioned above.

Consensus or divergence of participant views on these questions will constitute the results and conclusions.