Primary health care

Primary health care was a new approach to health care that came into existence following an international conference in Alma Ata in 1978 organised by the World Health Organisation and the UNICEF. The Alma Ata conference defined primary health care as follows:

"Primary health care is essential health care based on practical, scientifically sound and socially acceptable methods and technology made universally accessible to individuals and families in the community through their full participation and at a cost that the community and the country can afford to maintain at every stage of their development in the spirit of self-determination"

The approach has also been called as "Health by the people" and "placing people's health in people's hands." Primary health care was accepted by the member countries of WHO as the key to achieving the goal of Health for all.

Essential components of primary health care

The Declaration of Alma Ata outlined the 8 essential components of primary health care.

Principles of primary health care

Equitable distribution

Health services must be shared equally by all people irrespective of their ability to pay. An example of equity is: if you had a loaf of bread and wished to share it with those in need you could do one of two things. Give everyone a piece of bread each. This is equality. Or you could give a piece of bread to those who need it or are hungry. This is equity or fairness. The same thing is done with the resources of a country.

Community participation

There must be a continuing effort to secure meaningful involvement of the community in the planning, implementation and maintenance of health services, beside maximum reliance on local resources such as manpower, money and materials.

Intersectoral coordination

Primary health care involves in addition to the health sector, all related sectors and aspects of national and community development, in particular agriculture, animal husbandry, food, industry, education, housing, public works, communication and other sectors.

Appropriate technology

Appropriate technology is technology that is scientifically sound, adaptable to local needs, acceptable to those who apply it and for those for whom it is used and can be maintained by the people themselves in keeping with the principle of self reliance with the resources the community and country can afford.

References

WHO (1978). Alma Ata 1978: Primary Health Care, HFA Sr. No. 1

See also: "The Quest for Health and Wholeness" by James C. McGilvray. Pub - German Institute for Medical Missions, Tubingen 1981; Socrates Litsios, The Long and Difficult Road to Alma-Ata: A Personal Reflection. International Journal of Health Services, Volume 32, Number 4, Pages 709-732; Socrates Litsios,The Christian Medical Commission and the Development of WHO's Primary Health Care Approach.American Journal of Public Health, November, 94(11): 1884-1893.