PHM-Exch> WHO Assembly Resolution on: Primary health care, including health system strengthening

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: Ruggiero, Mrs. Ana Lucia (WDC) <ruglucia at paho.org>
crossposted from: EQUIDAD at listserv.paho.org


 *Primary health care, including health system strengthening*

* **SIXTY-SECOND WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY -  WHA62.12 - Agenda item 12.4*

*22 May 2009*

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Available online as PDF file at:
http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/A62/A62_R12-en.pdf

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“…..Strongly reaffirming the values and principles of primary health care,
including equity, solidarity, social justice, universal access to services,
multisectoral action, decentralization and community participation as the
basis for strengthening health systems….”

URGES Member States:

(1) to ensure political commitment at all levels to the values and
principles of the Declaration of Alma-Ata, keep the issue of strengthening
health systems based on the primary health care approach high on the
international political agenda, and take advantage, as appropriate, of
health-related partnerships and initiatives relating to this issue,
particularly to support achievement of the health-related Millennium
Development Goals;

(2) to accelerate action towards universal access to primary health care by
developing comprehensive health services and by developing national
equitable, efficient and sustainable financing mechanisms, mindful of the
need to ensure social protection and protect health budgets in the context
of the current international financial crisis;

(3) to put people at the centre of health care by adopting, as appropriate,
delivery models focused on the local and district levels that provide
comprehensive primary health care services, including health promotion,
disease prevention, curative care and palliative care, that are integrated
and coordinated according to needs, while ensuring effective referral
system;

(4) to promote active participation by all people, and re-emphasize the
empowering of communities, especially women, in the processes of developing
and implementing policy and improving health and health care, in order to
support the renewal of primary health care;

(5) to train and retain adequate numbers of health workers, with appropriate
skill mix, including primary health care nurses, midwives, allied health
professionals and family physicians, able to work in a multidisciplinary
context, in cooperation with non-professional community health workers in
order to respond effectively to people’s health needs;

(6) to encourage that vertical programmes, including disease-specific
programmes, are developed, integrated and implemented in the context of
integrated primary health care;

(7) to improve access to appropriate medicines, health products and
technologies, all of which are required to support primary health care;

(8) to develop and strengthen health information and surveillance systems,
relating to primary health care in order to facilitate evidence-based
policies and programmes and their evaluation;

(9) to strengthen health ministries, enabling them to provide inclusive,
transparent and accountable leadership of the health sector and to
facilitate multisectoral action as part of primary health care;….”
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