IMPLEMENTING THE PRIMARY HEALTH CARE APROACH: A PRIMER
Policy-makers, practitioners and communities agree that primary health care (PHC) is uniquely placed to offer people care close to their home and the chance to be treated by professionals who understand their needs and preferences, as well as the context in which they live. They also agree that PHC is intrinsically linked to public health and an integral part of strengthening health systems to advance towards universal health coverage (UHC) – giving it a key role in efforts to secure access to high-quality, people-centred health services without financial hardship
SYARHAN
6/25/20241 min baca
The World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, recognizes this window of opportunity with this first Global Report on Primary Health Care as a PHC Primer. It brings together the evidence on the ‘how’ of PHC by laying out an analysis of best practices and tacit knowledge that countries have generated through "natural experiments" in strengthening PHC. PHC is about more than models and definitions. It is about humane and patient-centred care to which every person has a fundamental right. It is about ensuring that PHC is an accessible and affordable entry point into the health system, and that it remains a constant contact point for patients needing care across the life-course.
This Primer is about the 'how' of primary health care (PHC) and brings together best practices and knowledge that countries have generated through 'natural experiments' in strengthening PHC with the best available research evidence. Despite the progress made towards PHC globally, the concept is still often misunderstood, even within the public health community. The Primer offers a contemporary understanding of PHC and more conceptual clarity for strengthening PHC-oriented health systems. It does so by consolidating both scientific evidence and an extensive sample of practical experiences across countries for the needed evidence to address practical implementation issues.
The Primer is organized in three parts. Part I explains the PHC approach, its history, core concepts and rationale, and draws out lessons for transformation. Part II addresses operational and strategic levers that make PHC work. It covers governance, financing and human resources for health, medicines, health technology, infrastructure and digital health, and their role in implementing change. Part III concludes with a cross-cutting view of the impacts of PHC on the health system, efficiency, quality of care, equity, access, financial protection and health systems resilience, including in the face of climate change.
Link : https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240090583