What is PHC?
Primary Health Care (PHC) is a comprehensive approach to health and well-being that emphasizes prevention, health promotion, curative care, and rehabilitation services at the community level. It aims to provide accessible, affordable, and equitable health care to all, regardless of age, gender, or socioeconomic status.
Historical Development of PHC
The concept of PHC emerged in response to the Alma-Ata Declaration (1978), which called for a comprehensive approach to health care that addressed the physical, mental, and social well-being of populations. PHC became a key strategy for delivering health care in developing countries, where access to health services was often limited.
Principles of PHC
The principles of PHC are:
- Equity: Access to health care should be available to all, without discrimination.
- Accessibility: Services should be located close to where people live and work.
- Affordability: Services should be offered at a cost that is affordable to the population.
- Comprehensiveness: Services should cover a wide range of health needs, including prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation.
- Community participation: Communities should be actively involved in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of health care services.
Components of PHC
The key components of PHC include:
- Health promotion: Educating the public about healthy behaviors and lifestyles.
- Preventive care: Immunizations, screening, and disease surveillance.
- Curative care: Diagnosis and treatment of illnesses and injuries.
- Rehabilitation: Helping people recover from illness or injury and regain full function.
- Community-based services: Outreach programs, school health services, and mental health services.
Major Problems of Implementing PHC in Ethiopia
Despite Ethiopia's commitment to PHC, some major challenges in its implementation remain:
- Limited resources: The government faces constraints in funding PHC services, leading to shortages of health workers, equipment, and infrastructure.
- Geographic barriers: Ethiopia's vast and mountainous terrain makes access to health services difficult for many rural communities.
- Cultural factors: Misconceptions about health and reluctance to seek care can hinder the effectiveness of PHC interventions.
- Weak community participation: Involvement of communities in health planning and implementation is often limited, leading to a lack of ownership and sustainability.
- Lack of trained health workers: The country has a shortage of trained health workers, particularly in rural areas, which affects the quality and coverage of health services.
References
- World Health Organization. (2008). Primary health care: Now more than ever. Geneva: WHO.
- Alma-Ata Declaration. (1978). Declaration of Alma-Ata: International Conference on Primary Health Care, Alma-Ata, USSR, 6-12 September 1978. Geneva: WHO.
- Ethiopia Federal Ministry of Health. (2016). National Health Sector Transformation Plan (HSTP): 2015/16-2019/20. Addis Ababa: FMoH.