21st WONCA World Rural Health Conference, 10-13 April 2026: Read More – WONCA 2026 | Home
Two emerging global health leaders will soon arrive in Aotearoa New Zealand as part of the Rural WONCA 2026 Ambassador Programme—each bringing a strong commitment to advancing rural health in their home countries and beyond.
Representing Indonesia and India, Dr Dewanto Andoko and Manuel Jacob have been selected as this year’s FLIGHT Grant recipients. Ahead of the conference in Wellington, both will undertake rural observerships—offering a unique opportunity to experience community-based healthcare delivery in Aotearoa.
Dr Dewanto Andoko is a Family Medicine Senior Registrar at Pelita Harapan University and a Resident Medical Officer at Imanuel Hospital in Bandar Lampung, Indonesia. His work sits at the intersection of clinical practice, education, and health systems strengthening.
Currently completing postgraduate study in both Family Medicine and Healthcare Management, Dewanto’s research focuses on primary care mental health, rural workforce recruitment, sustainability, and community-owned health models. He has also led cross-border capacity-building initiatives, including mental health training and mhGAP implementation in Indonesia.
Driven by a desire to reduce inequities in low-resource settings, Dewanto sees the programme as a way to translate global learning into local impact.
“I was driven by the desire to bridge the treatment gap in primary care. This programme offers a unique platform to learn from global experts and bring innovative, scalable solutions back to the rural communities I serve.”
During his time in Aotearoa, Dewanto will undertake his placement with Hauora Hokianga, where he is particularly interested in kaupapa Māori models of care and community-led health delivery.
“I am especially excited to experience the Hauora Hokianga model first-hand and understand how culturally grounded, community-owned approaches can shape better health outcomes.”
Manuel Jacob is a final-year medical student at MOSC Medical College in Kerala, India, with a strong interest in rural health, emergency medicine, and health systems innovation.
His clinical training has included extensive experience in resource-limited settings, working closely with underserved populations and community outreach programmes. Alongside this, Manuel is the founder and lead developer of AlphaOne AI EHR—a clinical decision support system designed to improve emergency workflows and reduce delays in care delivery, particularly in rural environments.
His work reflects a broader ambition to combine clinical medicine with scalable technology solutions to improve access to care.
“I wanted to understand rural healthcare beyond my local context and explore how innovative solutions can be adapted across different settings.”
Manuel will complete his rural placement with Kaikōura Health (Te Hā o Te Ora), where he is looking forward to observing how care is delivered in geographically remote communities.
“I’m particularly interested in how different systems address challenges like access, workforce limitations, and continuity of care—and how culture shapes healthcare delivery.”
While coming from different backgrounds, both ambassadors share a common goal: strengthening rural health systems through innovation, collaboration, and community-focused care.
Their placements will provide insight into:
As part of the Rural WONCA 2026 programme, their experiences will contribute to ongoing global conversations about equity, access, and the future of rural healthcare.
We look forward to following their journey across Aotearoa and welcoming them to Wellington for the conference.
