Primary health care, PHC, goes beyond just treating a patient or an illness. It entails the community as a whole. It also brings in stakeholders in government and other relevant places in order to improve the healthcare system in general. As such, PHC provides wholesome treatment to individuals in the society. These are some of the facts about primary health care Somalia policy makers may benefit from.
Equitable distribution of resources is one of the key features of PHC. People all over the world differ in terms of race, sex, gender, geographical area and economic status. None of this should form a basis for providing services to individuals. Instead, people should be treated equally, based on the resources available in a country.
Community participation is necessary for PHC to work effectively. The community needs to be willing to receive education from within and without regarding how best they can stay healthy. Members of the community also need to ensure they keep their environment clean at all times. This means putting up pit latrines to be used as a means of disposing of human waste and any other that may harbor bacteria. There is also a need of clearing bushes around homes to avoid attracting mosquitoes, the cause of malaria in many tropical countries. These are just but a few examples of how the community can participate in achieving primary healthcare.
Another item that PHC emphasizes is the development of a skilled workforce in the healthcare system. The government and other related parties need to ensure that the system is adequately staffed with professionals. This includes but is not limited to physicians, surgeons, nurses and technicians. Adequate staffing promotes better service provision to the community at large.
In spite of advances in technology in science today, efficient health care provision may not be possible for some of these communities. This is mainly due to the absence of the necessary infrastructure. It should, however, be noted that for technology to be successful in a given healthcare setting, it needs to be fair in pricing for patients. The staff should also be able to handle the equipment with ease. In addition, most machines require electricity, which may not be available in remote villages.
Clearly, the provision of PHC is not just the reserve of the health care system. Other disciplines such as agriculture, engineering, education and community organizations are equally of benefit. The agricultural sector, for example, works to ensure that all nutritious foods are readily available. The engineering department, on the other hand, works to ensure that roads are accessible and electricity is present in all the rural areas.
Over the years, PHC has undergone tremendous changes in a bid to achieve set targets. One of the changes that primary health care has gone through is coming up with what is known as selective PHC. In this concept, the targets are customized to the community in question. Set goals are more measurable and specific, based on availability of resources. It encompasses principles such as breastfeeding, monitoring of growth in children, immunization, family planning, among other indicators.
In a nutshell, achieving universal health care calls for commitment, positivity and patience among other attributes. It goes beyond just providing cure to diseases in hospitals. PHC involves other sectors in a bid to ensure that all members of the society are free of disease. Primary healthcare is a concept that should, therefore, be fully embraced.
Equitable distribution of resources is one of the key features of PHC. People all over the world differ in terms of race, sex, gender, geographical area and economic status. None of this should form a basis for providing services to individuals. Instead, people should be treated equally, based on the resources available in a country.
Community participation is necessary for PHC to work effectively. The community needs to be willing to receive education from within and without regarding how best they can stay healthy. Members of the community also need to ensure they keep their environment clean at all times. This means putting up pit latrines to be used as a means of disposing of human waste and any other that may harbor bacteria. There is also a need of clearing bushes around homes to avoid attracting mosquitoes, the cause of malaria in many tropical countries. These are just but a few examples of how the community can participate in achieving primary healthcare.
Another item that PHC emphasizes is the development of a skilled workforce in the healthcare system. The government and other related parties need to ensure that the system is adequately staffed with professionals. This includes but is not limited to physicians, surgeons, nurses and technicians. Adequate staffing promotes better service provision to the community at large.
In spite of advances in technology in science today, efficient health care provision may not be possible for some of these communities. This is mainly due to the absence of the necessary infrastructure. It should, however, be noted that for technology to be successful in a given healthcare setting, it needs to be fair in pricing for patients. The staff should also be able to handle the equipment with ease. In addition, most machines require electricity, which may not be available in remote villages.
Clearly, the provision of PHC is not just the reserve of the health care system. Other disciplines such as agriculture, engineering, education and community organizations are equally of benefit. The agricultural sector, for example, works to ensure that all nutritious foods are readily available. The engineering department, on the other hand, works to ensure that roads are accessible and electricity is present in all the rural areas.
Over the years, PHC has undergone tremendous changes in a bid to achieve set targets. One of the changes that primary health care has gone through is coming up with what is known as selective PHC. In this concept, the targets are customized to the community in question. Set goals are more measurable and specific, based on availability of resources. It encompasses principles such as breastfeeding, monitoring of growth in children, immunization, family planning, among other indicators.
In a nutshell, achieving universal health care calls for commitment, positivity and patience among other attributes. It goes beyond just providing cure to diseases in hospitals. PHC involves other sectors in a bid to ensure that all members of the society are free of disease. Primary healthcare is a concept that should, therefore, be fully embraced.
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