Concept of Primary Health Care (PHC)
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| Primary health care (PHC) |
Jointly both World Health Organization
(WHO) and United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF) conference was
held at Alma Ata in Almaty, Kazakhstan in 1978 A.D. and endorsed (declared and
signed) on the WHO concept of Health for all by the year 2000 A.D. and
suggested a new approach to health care that integrates at the community level
all the factors required for improving the health status of people is known as
primary health care(PHC).
Nepal had signed the HFA 2000 document
at Alma-Ata in 2978 A.D. and had accepted Primary health care(PHC) as being an effective method by
which essential health services were to be providing the community people.
Health for all 2000 (HFA 2000)
Health For All means that health is to
be brought within reach of everyone in a given country.
And by "health" is meant a
personal state of well being, not just the availability of health services – a
state of health that enables a person to lead a socially and economically
productive life. In other worlds, as a minimum, all people in all countries
should have at least such a level of health that they are capable of working
productively and of participating actively in the social life of the community
in which they live.
Primary health care (PHC): Alma Ata Declaration
The Alma-Ata Declaration was adopted at
the International Conference on Primary Health Care (PHC), at Almaty,
Kazakhstan, 6-12 September 1978 ratified by 134 WHO member states. It expressed
need of urgent action by all the government, all health and development
workers, and the world community to protect and promote the health of all
people. It highlighted the importance of Primary Health Care(PHC). The conference
highlighted that the HFA by 2000 is a goal and Primary Health Care(PHC) is a strategy or approach to
achieve that goal. It reaffirmed the health, which is a state of complete physical,
mental and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease or
infirmity, is a fundamental human right and that the attainment of
the highest possible level of health is a most important world-wide social goal
whose realization requires the action of many other social and economic
sectors in addition to the health sector.
Primary health
care (PHC)
Primary health care (PHC) refers to essential health care based
on scientifically sound and socially acceptable methods and technology,
made universally accessible to all individuals and families in a
community through their full participation and at a cost that the
community and country can afford to maintain at every stage of their
development in the spirit of self reliance and self determination. It is
the first level of contact of individuals, the family and community with the
national health system bringing health care as close as possible to where
people live and work and constitutes the first element of a continuing health
care process.
Pillars/principles of
- Equitable distribution of health care – according to this principle, primary care and
other services to meet the main health problems in a community must be
provided equally to all individuals irrespective of their gender, age,
caste, color, urban/rural location and social class.
- Community participation –
in order to make the fullest use of local, national and other available
resources. Community participation was considered sustainable due to its
grass roots nature and emphasis on self-sufficiency, as opposed to
targeted (or vertical) approaches dependent on international development
assistance.
- Health work force development – comprehensive healthcare relies on adequate
number and distribution of trained physicians, nurses, allied health
professions, community workforce and others working as a health team and
supported at the local and referrals levels.
- Use of appropriate technology - medical technology should be provided that is
accessible, affordable, feasible and culturally acceptable to the
community. Examples of appropriate technology include refrigerators for
vaccine cold storage. Less appropriate could include, in many settings,
body scanners or heart-lung machines, which benefit only a small minority
concentrated in urban areas. They are generally not accessible to the
poor, but draw a large share of resources.
- Multi-sectional approach –
recognition that health cannot be improved by intervention within just the
formal health sector; other sectors are equally important in promoting the
health and self-reliance of communities. These sectors include, at least:
agriculture (e.g. food security); education; communication (e.g.
concerning prevailing health problems and the methods of preventing and
controlling them); housing; public works (e.g. ensuring an adequate supply
of safe water and basic sanitation); rural development; industry;
community organizations (including Panchayats or local government etc.).
8 elements of
1.
E- Essential Drug Supply: By
providing essential drugs to those who need them, such as antibiotics to those
with infections, caregivers can help prevent disease from escalating. This
makes the community safer, as there is less chance for diseases to be passed
along.
2.
L-
Local endemic Disease Control: Prevention and control of local diseases is
critical to promoting primary health care in a population. Many diseases vary
based on location. Taking these diseases into account and initiating measures
to prevent them are key factors in efforts to reduce infection rates.
3.
E-
Expanded Program on Immunization: By administering global immunizations, WHO works
to wipe out major infectious diseases, greatly improving overall health
globally.
4.
M- Maternal and
Child Health Care and Family Planning: Ensuring comprehensive and adequate health care
to children and to mothers, both expecting and otherwise, is another essential
element of primary health care. By caring for those who are at the greatest
risk of health problems, WHO helps future generations have a chance to thrive
and contribute to globally. Sometimes, care for these individuals involve
adequate counseling on family planning and safe sex.
5.
E-Education on
Health: Public
education is the first, and one of the most essential, component of primary health
care. By educating the public on the prevention and control of health problems,
and encouraging participation, the World Health Organization works to keep
disease from spreading on a personal level.
6.
N-Nutrition: Nutrition is
another essential component of health care. WHO works to prevent malnutrition
and starvation and to prevent many diseases and afflictions.
7.
T-Treatment for
minor illness: Another
important component of primary health care is access to appropriate medical
care for the treatment of diseases and injuries. By treating disease and injury
right away, caregivers can help avoid complications and the expense of later,
more extensive, medical treatment.
8.
S-Sanitation
and safe drinking water supply: A supply of clean, safe drinking water, and
basic sanitation measures regarding trash, sewage and water cleanliness can
significantly improve the health of a population, reducing and even eliminating
many preventable diseases.
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