Primary Health Care

858 Words4 Pages
INTRODUCTION World health organization with the Alma -Ata declaration of 1978 defined primary health care as essential health care that is a socially appropriate, universally accessible, scientifically sound first level care provided by a suitably trained workforce supported by integrated referral systems and in a way that gives priority to those most in need, maximises community and individual self-reliance and participation and involves collaboration with other sectors. Primary health care (PHC) is a strategy endorsed for attaining equitable access to basic health care including treatment and preventing of endemic diseases. In Malawi primary health care was started with the goal of improving health status of the people of the country. Though the primary health care services aims at improving the well-being of its population they are challenges that are being faced in the implementation of this strategy of primary health care therefore of this essay will highlight the major problems that are being faced when implementing the primary health care strategy. (MDHS 2011) DISCUSSION The level of centralized planning which Malawi as a country, practises affects resource allocation and therefore the implementation faces problem because highly centralised planning may mean difficulties in applying community participation in decision making which is an underlying principle of the primary health care approach. Exclusion of communities in the initiation of the primary health care services is a major setback. Community participation is a process of involving the community by promoting dialogue with, and empowering, communities to identify their own problems and solve them. Lack of Participation of the community in Primary Health Care is evidenced through the nonfunctional community health committees, village health committees and health centre or area health committees and the
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