Primary health care: a strategy for extending coverage to the unserved population.

PIP: This paper discusses the necessary implementation of the "primary health care strategy" in order that health services reach all of those presently unserved in Latin America. Primary health care deals with all health issues relating to integral development of the individual and the community. An interdisciplinary and intersectorial approach is needed to implement this strategy. Current obstacles to extending health services to deprived populations include: 1) lack of operational mechanisms to facilitate application of the policies, 2) the multiplicity of institutions which prevent coordination, 3) cultural barriers which are resistant to change, 4) insufficient human resource training and development, 5) lack of knowledge about appropriate technologies, 6) administrative deficiencies, and 7) financial constraints. The strategy's main thrust is directed against conditions that predetermine, trigger, or cause particular health problems. Activities of administration, information, planning and programming should emphasize: 1) community participation in planning, building, and preparing health services; 2) coordination of decisions by the community and the technical experts; 3) orientation, training, and logistical support; 4) daily service of health education; and 5) cooperation with teachers, social workers, community development workers, and malaria control personnel. Governments have begun reorienting their activities to meet these needs along with the aid of the World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organization.^ieng

Atencion primaria de salud: estrategia para extender los servicios a la poblacion marginada. / Primary health care: strategy for extending services to the marginal populations

En la estrategia de atencion primaria de salud, las autoridades nacionales de salud, los organismos internacionales, los tecnicos, profesionales y politicos deben determinar la forma de actuar en los distintos niveles.Hasta el momento, se han dedicado esfuerzos para definir y caracterizar el proposito de cobertura universal, pero se ha prestado escasa atencion a la necessidad de definir el modo de alcanzarla. Al respecto, cabe senalar que entre los metodos y medios mas adecuados, no se trata de imponer a la comunidad lo que el sistema de salud decida en forma unilateteral por razones puramente tecnicas o administrativas, sino de imponer al sistema lo que la comunidad local, regional y nacional en realidad demanda, para satisfacer sus necesidades basicas de salud