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Primary Health Care
What is Primary Health Care?
Primary Health Care is the first level of contact with the health
system to promote health, prevent illness, care for common
illnesses, and manage ongoing health problems.
The Alma-Ata Conference defined PHC as follows: - "Primary

health care is essential health care based on practical, scientifically
sound, and socially acceptable methods and technology made
universally accessible to individuals and families in the community
through their full participation and at a cost the community &
country can afford to maintain at every stage of their development
in the spirit of self-determination”.
Principles of primary health care:
1.PHC services must have the following characteristic
Accessibility, Availability, Affordability and Acceptability of

Health Services.
2.Equitable distribution
Health services must be shared equally by all people irrespective of

their ability to pay, (rich or poor, urban or rural).
3.Community participation
Involvement of individuals, families, and communities in promotion
of their own health and welfare. Meaningful involvement of the
community in the planning, implementation and maintenance of
health services.
4. Intersectoral coordination
Primary health care involves in addition to the health sector, all

related sectors, in particular agriculture, animal husbandry, food
industry, education, housing, public works, communication and
other sectors. An important element of intersectoral approach is
planning - planning with other sectors to avoid unnecessary
duplication of activities.
5. Appropriate technology
Appropriate technology is technology that is adaptable to local

needs, acceptable to those who apply it and those for whom it is
used, and that can be maintained by the people themselves.
Eight Essential Components of PHC Services
1. Health Education
Health education is the first, and one of the most essential,

component of primary health care. By educating the public on the
prevention and control of health problems, and encouraging
participation, the World Health Organization works to keep disease
from spreading on a personal level.
2. Promotion of food supply and proper nutrition.
Nutrition is another essential component of health care. WHO works

to prevent malnutrition and starvation and to prevent many diseases
2. Supply of adequate water and sanitation.
A supply of clean, safe drinking water, and basic sanitation

measures regarding trash, sewage and water cleanliness can
significantly improve the health of a population, reducing and even
eliminating many preventable diseases.
4.Maternal and child health care, including family planning.
Ensuring comprehensive and adequate health care to children and to

mothers, is another essential element of primary health care. By
caring for those who are at the greatest risk of health problems,
WHO helps future generations have a chance to thrive and
contribute to globally.
5.Immunization against the major infectious diseases.
By administering global immunizations, WHO works to prevent the

major infectious diseases.
6.Prevention and control of locally endemic diseases.

Prevention and control of local diseases is critical to promoting
primary health care in a population. Many diseases vary based on
location. Taking these diseases into account and initiating
measures to prevent them are key factors in efforts to reduce
infection rates.
7. Appropriate treatment of common diseases and injuries.
Another important component of primary health care is access to

appropriate medical care for the treatment of diseases and injuries.
8. Provision of essential drugs and basic laboratory services.
By providing essential drugs to those who need them, such as

antibiotics to those with infections, caregivers can help prevent
disease from escalating. This makes the community safer, as there
is less chance for diseases to be passed along.
Role of Community health nursing in PHC services
Community health nurses work to improve the health and well,

being of the communities they serve by educating them about
illness, disease prevention, safe health practices, and how to obtain
health care services. They also facilitate communication between
people, their families, and the medical community in order to
improve health outcomes.
Community health nurses are instrumental in creating programs that
allow communities to become healthier and often provide treatment
for poor, culturally diverse, and uninsured populations. Their work
may include performing free health care screenings, vaccinations,
and other forms of preventative care at reduced costs.

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Primary Health Care

What is Primary Health Care?

The Alma-Ata Conference defined PHC as follows: - "Primary

Principles of primary health care:

1.PHC services must have the following characteristic

Accessibility, Availability, Affordability and Acceptability of

Health services must be shared equally by all people irrespective of

Primary health care involves in addition to the health sector, all

Appropriate technology is technology that is adaptable to local

Eight Essential Components of PHC Services

Health education is the first, and one of the most essential,

2. Promotion of food supply and proper nutrition.

Nutrition is another essential component of health care. WHO works

2. Supply of adequate water and sanitation.

A supply of clean, safe drinking water, and basic sanitation

4.Maternal and child health care, including family planning.

Ensuring comprehensive and adequate health care to children and to

5.Immunization against the major infectious diseases.

By administering global immunizations, WHO works to prevent the

6.Prevention and control of locally endemic diseases.

7. Appropriate treatment of common diseases and injuries.

Another important component of primary health care is access to

8. Provision of essential drugs and basic laboratory services.

By providing essential drugs to those who need them, such as

Role of Community health nursing in PHC services

Community health nurses work to improve the health and well,

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