GROUP SIX PRESENTING….

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PRIMARY HEALTH CARE

PRIMARY HEALTH CARE

• Primary healthcare (PHC) refers to “essential health care” that is based on scientifically sound, socially acceptable methods and technology, which make universal health care accessible to all individuals and families in a community.

• In other words, Primary health care is an approach to health beyond the traditional health care system that focuses on health equity-producing social policy.

• Primary health care includes all areas that play a role in health such as access to health services, environment and lifestyle. Thus primary health care and public health measures taken together may be considered as the cornerstones of universal health systems.

• This ideal model of health was adopted and the declaration of the international Conference on Primary Health Care held in Alma Ata, Kazakhstan in 1978 ( known as Alma Ata Declaration), and became a core concept of the World Health organization’s goal of health for all.

�OBJECTIVES / GOALS AND PRINCIPLES�

• The ultimate goal of primary healthcare is the attainment of better health services for all, it is for this reason world health organization (WHO), has identified five key elements to achieving goals.

• Reducing exclusion and social disparities in health (universal coverage reforms).
• Organizing health service around all aspects of life, integrating health into sectors (public policy reforms)

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• Pursuing collaborative models of policy dialogue (leadership reforms)
• Increasing stakeholder participation

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• Behind these elements lies a series of basic principles identified in the Alma Ata Declaration that should be formulated in national policies in order to lunch and sustain primary health care as part of a comprehensive health system and in coordination with other sectors:

• Equitable distribution of health care
• Community participation
• Health workforce development
• Use of appropriate technology
• Multi-sectional approach

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LEVELS OF PRIMARY HEALTH CARE

There are five levels of primary health care they are:

1. Health Promotion

Services and activities are designed to maintain and improve health status. Health promotion has five strategies which includes building health public policy, strengthening community action, creating supportive environment, developing personal skills and reorienting health services

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2. Disease And Injury Prevention

Injury and illness prevention includes services that are for illness prevention to help reduce the risk of disease and injury. Prevention strategies for clients, family and community may include clinical, behavioral and environmental.

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3. Diagnosis And Treatment Level

This usually refers to healthcare activities that are aimed at the individual rather than the family or community. The focus is recognizing and treating the clients existing health problem. It is divided into three (3) sub levels: primary, secondary and tertiary care.

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• Primary care: The first contact that the client makes with the health care system to resolve an actual or potential problem. Examples include early detection and routine care.

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• Secondary care: This occurs when the clients develops recognizable signs and symptoms that are diagnosed or need further review by a specialized medical service (example are physician specialist or hospital).

• Tertiary care: This is a highly technical and specialized care for diagnosing and treating complicated health problem

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4. Rehabilitative Care Level:

• Restoration of a person to the fullest physical, mental, social and vocation functioning from a physical or mental illness, injury or chemical addition. The services in home, outpatient, or in institution may include a speech therapist.

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5. Supportive Care Level

This level addresses the chronic health needs to patient of any age. These patient or clients may be those who live with long term chronic condition or those with progressive illness or disease that may worsen.

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• Services include health, personal and social services to patients who have disability, who were never functioning independently or those who have terminal disease. The two aspects of support care are palliative and respite care.

COMPONENTS OF PRIMARY HEALTH CARE

• Proper nutrition
• Clean water and sanitation
• Maternal and child health care
• Immunization
• Local disease control
• Accessible treatment
• Drug provision
• Public Education

�PROBLEMS OF PRIMARY HEALTH CARE�

1. Lack of health care facilities
1. Usually health care is only allocated a small share in the government’s budget. It is sometimes neglected just like education and all the good things that lead to development and progress of people. Basic health facilities are not within the reach of poor people, who can’t afford.

• For example, taking the 2017 budget into consideration, the allocation of the national cake to some sectors were as follows;
• Infrastructures – Gh₵ 2.62 billion
• Energy - Gh₵ 889.7 million
• Health - Gh₵ 350 million
• Education - Gh₵ 188.2 million, 400million

2. Lack of resources

• Government hospitals lack resources. Hospitals were doctors are present, they are helpless due to absence of proper resources to treat their patients. Those who can’t afford private doctors wait for death to ease their suffering. Most of the health facilities in such area are provided by NGO’s run hospitals and clinics.

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3. Transportation problems

• Access to healthcare services is critical for rural residents. Ideally, residents should be able to conveniently and confidently use services such as primary care. Long distances to health facilities limit the ability of people to get the care they need and also health personnels find it difficult to extend health care to people in the rural areas.

4. Lack of trained personnel

• Work force is very essential in providing health care. It is important that human resources personnel consider the composition of the health work force in terms of both skills and training levels. Therefore health workers must be properly trained and competent enough to undertake their duties successfully.

5. Lack of funds

• The financial means to pay for health services on the part of people to receive health care and that of health personnels to run health facilities is very poor. Though health care may be given the money or funds that would be used to purchase resources such beds, drugs etc are not available leading to poor health services.

REFERENCES

• Starfield J.; Barbra M.Y; “Primary health care and health”. Epidemiology Community Health (2011)
• Marco, Cueto “The Origins of Primary Health care and selective primary health care.” Am J Public Health. (2004)
• White F. “Primary health care and public health: foundations of universal health systems (2015)
• Secretariat, WHO. “International Conference on primary health care, Alma –Ata: twenty-fifth anniversary” (28 March, 2011)
• McGillivray, James C. “The Quest for health and wholeness” German institute for medical Missions. (1981)
• Daily guide newspaper [page 7] – 3^rd March 2017

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THANK YOU

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ANY QUESTIONS…….