Primary Health Care

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• WHO defines as essential health care made universally accessible to individuals and families in the community by means acceptable to them through their full participation and at a cost that the community and country can afford at every stage of development
• Primary Health Care was declared during the First International Conference on Primary Health Care held in Alma Ata, USSR on September 6-12, 1978 by WHO. The goal was "Health for All by year 2000". This was adopted in the Philippines through Letter of Instruction 949 signed by President Marcos on October 19, 1979 and has an underlying theme of "Health in the Hand of the People by 2020".

Elements/Components of Primary Health Care

• Environmental Sanitation (adequate supply of safe water and good waste disposal)
• Control of Communicable Diseases
• Immunization
• Health Education
• Maternal and Child Health and Family Planning
• Adequate Food and Proper Nutrition
• Provision of Medical Care and Emergency Treatment
• Treatment of Locally Endemic Diseases
• Provision of Essential Drugs

The framework for meeting the goal of primary health care is organizational strategy, which calls for active and continuing partnership among the communities.

Four Cornerstones/Pillars in Primary Health Care

1. Active community participation
2. Intra and Inter-sectoral linkages
3. Use of appropriate technology
4. Support mechanism made available

Types of Primary Health Care Workers

• Various categories of health workers made up the primary health care team
• The types vary in different communities depending upon:
1. Available health manpower resources
2. Local health needs and problems
3. Political and financial feasibility

2 Levels of Primary Health Care Workers have been identified:

• Village or Barangay Health Workers (V/BHWs). This refers to trained community health workers or health auxilliary volunteer or a traditional birth attendant or healer
• Intermediate level health workers. General medical practitioners or their assistants. Public Health Nurse, Rural Sanitary Inspectors and Midwives may compose these groups.