Primary health care - definition, objectives, elements. Primary medical care - goals, organization, functioning. General practitioner as the main provider of basis health care for the population
1. Levels of health care:
Primary: First level of contact for the patient with the health system. Deals with the most common health problems
Secondary: At this level more complex problems are dealt with.
Tertiary: Most specialized level. Requires highly specialized health workers and facilities.
-Primary health care is basic and essential care.
- -Defined in Alma-Ata conference in 1978
2. Definitions:
- „Primary health care is essential health care made universally accessible to individuals and acceptable to them, through their participation and at a cost the community and country can afford“
- „Primary health care is practical approach to making essential health care universally accessible to individuals and families in the community in an acceptable and affordable way and with their full participation…“
- „It means much more then the mere extension of basis health services…“
- „Having the aim of using only those technologies that have really proved their worth and can be afforded…“
- „Delivered by communities they serve and have the confidence of the people.“
3. Principles of primary health care:
- Equitable distribution
- Accessibility and acceptability
- Intersectoral coordination
- Appropriate technology
4. A set of core primary health activities:
- Education concerning prevailing health problems and the methods of preventing and controlling them
- Promotion of food supply and proper nutrition
- An adequate supply of safe water and basic sanitation
- Maternal and child health care, including family planning
- Immunization against diseases
- Prevention and control
- Provision of essential drugs
by Fabio