Abstract :
One of the most effective and valuable principles to promote health in all countries has been
adoption of Primary Health Care (PHC) as a fundamental strategy. In September 1978, an
international conference was held in Alma-Ata, whose great achievement was declaring PHC as a
roadmap for “Health for All” by the year 2000 (HFA 2000). Indeed, as a new approach beyond
the traditional system of health care, PHC insisted on justice in the delivery and distribution of
services in the health sector (1).
Hence, PHC needs a reasonable development in the health sector as well as in economic and social
sections in order to facilitate individuals’, families’ and communities’ access to basic but necessary
health services. The first purpose of PHC was achieving a level of physical, psychological and
social well-being that people can make fair interaction with their surrounding world. In fact, PHC
is the cornerstone of health systems worldwide (2).
The PHC seeks increasing equity in the health sector, reducing public spending, increasing
universal coverage of health services, reducing deficiencies in health status and, above all,
involving people in the field of health promotion and delivery of care. World Health Organization
(WHO) in its 2008 Health Report entitled "Primary health care, now more than ever" reaffirmed
the importance of PHC. However, a large share of the financial resources is paid for the secondary
healthcare, while the PHC can reduce up to 70% of the global burden of disease with much less
cost.
Keyword :
Primary Healthcare