Primary Health Care (PHC) Lecture PDF

Primary Health Care (PHC) HIC Lecture Learning Objectives The student Should be able to • Explain different levels of health care • Define PHC. • Explain elements of PHC • Identify PHC principles • Identify strategies for PHC implementation Levels of Health Care No Level of health care Delive...

Primary Health Care (PHC) HIC Lecture Learning Objectives The student Should be able to • Explain different levels of health care • Define PHC. • Explain elements of PHC • Identify PHC principles • Identify strategies for PHC implementation Levels of Health Care No Level of health care Delivered at 1 Primary health care Primary Health Centre 2 Secondary health care 3 Tertiary health care General Hospital, Community Health Centre Central hospital, Specialty hospital, Apex hospital Definition of PHC: Primary health care is essential health care made universally accessible to individuals and acceptable to them, through their full participation and at a cost a community and country can afford Elements of PHC A- Promotive elements B- Preventive elements C- Curative elements Promotive elements 1-Education concerning prevailing health problems and the methods of preventing and controlling them. 2- Promotion of food supply and proper nutrition. 3- Provision of comprehensive maternal and child health care. Preventive elements 4- Immunization of children against major communicable diseases. 5- Prevention and control of locally endemic diseases. 6- Provision of adequate supply of safe water and basic sanitation. Curative elements 7- Appropriate treatment of common diseases and injuries. 8- Provision of essential drugs. Primary Health Care Principles The above mentioned eight services indicated as elements, are to be organized and delivered on the basis of the principles of: Equitable distribution Appropriate technology Multisectoral approach Community participation Equity in Distribution Equity: means services to all and more services to the needy and vulnerable ( high risk group). Equity depends on access: Thus to ensure equity accessibility has to be improved by: • increasing the number of health facilities. • improving transport conditions. • organizing outreach services. Appropriate Technology The word technology is a total sum of materials, methods, techniques considered in association with the person who is using it. It implies that health technologies are required not only for diagnostic and therapeutic maneuvers but also for disease prevention, control and health promotion. Appropriate Technology Appropriateness means that the technology should be scientifically sound, acceptable, in affordable cost and simple. Examples are ORT in diarrheal disease control, domiciliary treatment in TB control, breast-feeding in spacing, weighing for growth monitoring, etc. Multisectoral Approach • Individual sectors can not function in isolation. • Multisectoral inputs are required to deliver each of these services. Ex: The role of municipalities in environmental improvement. Ministry of Agriculture in provision of potable water and control of brucellosis. Ministry of Education in school health. Community Participation Social awareness and community self reliance are the key factors in human development. Examples of community participation include: • financial contribution • Provide a source of free labor. • Involving people in planning, implementation and evaluation of services. Strategies for Primary Health Care Implementation 1-By instituting measures for horizontal expansion and ensure efficiency in health service delivery in general. 2- By developing good rapport between the health centers and the beneficiaries; by organizing out-reach activities and reaching the people through social and religious institutions (like school, mosque, etc.). 3- By motivating the people to accept health centers as an institution of delivering comprehensive health care and not merely the dispensers of drugs . Is 4- By consolidating and strengthening the National Control Programs (malaria, bilharzia and tuberculosis); by integrating preventive and curative services. Strategies for Primary Health Care Implementation 5-By promoting health awareness in the people through organized health education programs. 6- By developing effective coordination with other health service delivery institutions like hospital; by evolving a suitable referral system. 7- By coordinating with the educational and training institutions (Universities, Health Institutes etc.) for the introduction of PHC in academic curriculum. Is Strategies for Primary Health Care Implementation 8- By coordinating with other health related government sectors such as; ministries of agriculture, ,municipalities and ministry of education for improvement of the health situation related to services. 9- By providing better quality of services to the high risk group of the community such as; pregnant mothers, pre-school children and others. Is Role of Primary Healthcare During Pandemics – WHO Statement 1. In the emergency situations, like the COVID-19 pandemic, PHC plays a substantial role in prevention, preparedness, response and recovery 2. In ensuring the continued access of the population to essential health services, thus preventing an increase in morbidity and mortality from causes not directly related to the coronavirus. 3. PHC also has a role to play in improving the equity of efforts to manage health emergencies and maintain health service access, with effective involvement of communities as partners. Is