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Primary Health Care

Health Care of the Community

For video lecture on Primary Health Care click below:
Primary Health Care

Definition

  • Primary health care is

    • essential health care
    • made universally accessible to individuals and
    • acceptable to them,
    • through their full participation and
    • at a cost the community and country can afford

  • Came into existence in 1978

  • Following Alma – Ata conference

  • Equally valid for all countries

  • Takes varying forms in each country

  • Accepted as the key to attain ‘Health for All by 2000 AD

Elements of Primary Health Care

  1. Education concerning prevailing health problems and the methods of preventing and controlling them (E)
  2. Promotion of food supply and proper nutrition (F)
  3. An adequate supply of safe water and basic sanitation (W)
  4. Maternal and child health care, including family planning (M)
  5. Immunization against major infectious diseases (I)
  6. Prevention and control of locally endemic diseases (P)
  7. Appropriate treatment of common diseases and injuries and (T)
  8. Provision of essential drugs (D)
    Mnemonic: FEW TIP MD

Principles of Primary Health Care

  1. Equitable distribution (E)
  2. Community participation (C)
  3. Inter-sectoral coordination (I)
  4. Appropriate technology (T)
    Mnemonic: CITE

References:
WHO: Primary Health Care; Report on International Conference on Primary Health Care, Alma-Ata, USSR, 6-12 Sep, 1978 available at: https://www.unicef.org/about/history/files/Alma_Ata_conference_1978_repo...

Prof J. De Maeseneer, Williams MA, De Sutter, Van D Guechte ML, M Billings, 2007. Priamary Health Care as a Strategy for Achieving Equitable Care: A Literature Review Commissioned by Health Systems Knowledge Network. available at: http://www.who.int/social_determinants/resources/csdh_media/primary_heal...

GOI, NHM. Handbook for Members of VHSNC available at: http://nhm.gov.in/images/pdf/communitisation/vhsnc/Resources/Handbook_fo...

ICMR, 1981: Appropriate Technology for Primary Health Care: Proceedings of the National Workshop on Appropriate Technology for Primary Health Care held at the Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi (April 23-26, 1981), Cambridge Printing Works, New Delhi

Park’s Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 24th edition