In the face of the AIDS crisis along with other emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, primary health care appears to be declining as an international health priority. However, those who look from the top down to the community level often have a very different perspective from those looking from the bottom up. The need for access to an effective health care system, beginning with access to primary health care services, is a basic human need for people of all ages that has too often been overlooked or poorly implemented. The purpose of this presentation is to assess the role of PHC -- especially community-based PHC -- in today's and tomorrow's world and to review recent experiences, lessons and continuing advances with respect to PHC in developing countries. Interactions of PHC with WHO's Framework for Measuring Health System Performance and with the Benchmarks of Fairness for Health Care Reform illustrate the critical interdependency of these evolving approaches to health care. A key goal of the WHO Framework is focussed on health outcomes with concern for both the average level of population health and with health distribution inequalities. The Benchmarks include PHC as an essential factor for achieving fairness in health care reform, including efficacy, efficiency and quality of health care, along with interactive community participation. Particular reference will be given to the conference held at Harvard University in November 2000 on community-based PHC sponsored jointly by the International Health Section of APHA and the Harvard School of Public Health Alumni Association.
Learning Objectives: To appreciate the persisting importance of primary health care as a key feature in the right to health care. To be involved in recent examples of positive uses of primary health care in developing countries. To understand the critical importance of constructive interactions of primary health care with other emerging approaches to health care.
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.