Primary Health Care

PHC 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 at a Cost that the community and country can Afford to maintain at every stage of their development the spirit of Self- Reliance and Self- Determination.
Five Principles of PHC
? Universal coverage of the population, with care provided according to need. This is the call of equity. No one should be left out, no matter how poor or how remote.
? Services should be promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative.
Services should not be only curative, but also should be promotive to the population’s understanding of health and healthy style of life, and reach toward the root causes of diseases with preventive emphasis.
Treatment of illness and rehabilitation are important as well.
? Services should be Effective, Culturally Acceptable, Affordable & Manageable.
Services must be effective. Cultural acceptability and effectiveness are mutually dependent. Services must be affordable in local terms as governmental resources are limited.
? Community should be involved to promote Self-Reliance.
The community should be actively involved in the process of defining health problems, & needs, developing and implementing solutions and evaluating programs.
? Approaches to health should be related to other sectors of development.
Education for literacy, clean water and sanitation, improved housing, building of roads, income supplementation, etc.. All have an important impact on health.
Elements of PHC
1. Education & information concerning prevailing health problems & methods of preventing and controlling them.
2. Promotion of food supply and proper nutrition.
3. An adequate supply of safe water and basic sanitation.
4. Maternal and child health care including family planning.
5. Immunization against the major infectious diseases.
6. Prevention and control of locally endemic diseases.
7. Appropriate treatment of common diseases and injuries.
8. Provision of essential drugs.
Primary Health Care Services In Iraq
? Health Education
? Promotion of Proper Nutrition
? Environmental Health
? Maternal Health ( Ante-natal care, Deliveries, Postnatal care)
? Child Health
? School Health
? Immunization Against Childhood Diseases.
? Control of Diseases
a. Communicable Diseases (Tuberculosis, AIDS etc..).
b. Non-Communicable Diseases (Cancer, Diabetes etc ..).
? Mental Health
? Eye Health
? Oral Health
? Community Participation
? Intersectoral Cooperation
? Treatment of Common Diseases & Injuries
? Adequate Supply of Essential Drugs