Primary Healthcare

Is seen as the first point of contact within an organised health care system

Primary Healthcare

According to WHO, the basic principles and values of primary healthcare as recognised during the Alma Ata conference include:

Essential healthcare based on practical scientifically sound and socially acceptable methods and technologies

Universal access to and coverage of health services based on health needs

Commitment, participation and individual and community self-reliance

Intersectoral action for health Cost effectiveness and appropriate technology, as the

available resources permit.

Focus of Primary Healthcare

Is to prevent illness and promote good health, and to provide affordable curative care for those in need

It involves the individual, family and community Many people in developing countries live in rural

areas where there is little access to healthcare services

Primary healthcare helps to overcome this through training local health workers, who are able to treat common injuries and illnesses and educate the community about the prevention of disease

Alma Ata Declaration

Safe water and sanitation: Providing adequate access to clean drinking water and basic sanitation systems to all people in order to reduce the spread of illness

Food and nutrition: Ensuring that everyone has access to an adequate and nutritious food supply at an affordable cost, in order to prevent malnutrition

Maternal and child health: Providing family in planning education and monitoring of child health and development, as well as trained birth attendants in order to reduce maternal and infant mortality

Immunisation: Providing immunisations to all children to prevent the spread of infectious disease

Curative care: Providing healthcare to treat common illness and injury

Essential drugs: Providing access to essential drugs to all people

Education: Providing education about the causes of ill health and the factors that promote good health in order to prevent or control disease and illness

Disease control: the prevention and control of locally endemic diseases.

WHO global review of primary healthcare

Be culturally sensitive Meet the needs of the people Involve the whole community Promote self reliance Be sustainable Rely on local healthcare

Features of the primary healthcare strategy

Always hurdles to overcome Lack of funding, lack of acceptance and difficulties training

locals maybe some of the issues that arise Primary healthcare strategy is cost effective in that it trains

local healthcare workers, rather than doctors It takes on the needs of the community into account, with the

community involved in implementing the strategy This increases acceptance and therefore more likely to be

successful It focuses on preventative healthcare, which helps the

community to become self sufficient

Sustainable Development

Sustainable development means meeting the needs of people today without reducing the options available to generations in the future, promoting growth while protecting the environment.

AusAID Sustainable Development

AusAID defines sustainable development as “the condition of benefits after major assistance from a donor has been completed”

Sustainable Developement

Successful sustainable development involves the use of renewable resources and local community participation

According to the World Bank there are three elements of sustainable development: Social, Economic, Environmental

Social

Empower people to take control of their lives

Respect the values and knowledge of people

Promote equity by including all people in decisions and activities that will impact on their community

Economic

Ensure employment opportunities and the payment of a fair wage for goods and services

Promote economic growth at a national and international level

Invest in education and improve the skills and knowledge of the workforce

Have access to appropriate technology, transport, communication systems, tools and energy

Environmental

Protect natural resources Reduce energy usage and promote

greater efficiency in the use of energy Reduce pollution Encourage industry and agriculture to

use natural resources responsibly

Activities

14.3 Pg 360 14.4 Pg 361-362 A primary health care plan in Malaysia Outreach and improved services for

Indigenous people in remote Australia (Journey through HHD pg’s 308 – 311)

Handout photocopy (318-320 Journey through HHD )