Ehem... Hi again! Actually this post was supposed to be a Day 6 post. But due to my problem with the internet connection yest, my earlier post on Day 5: Primary Health Care was just posted earlier this morning... And that's why this is still a Day 5 post...
[Ps: Sorry if I confused you on this. But that's ok... That's not the point here.]
Let's go to the main topic of this post...
What do we know about Declaration of Alma-Ata? Is it important?
Truly it is! If not, I wouldn’t bother to share anything about it here…
First of all, I would like to share a little something about the history of Alma-Ata declaration.
In September 1978, the International Conference on Primary Health Care (PHC) was held in Alma-Ata, USSR (now known as Almaty, Kazakhstan). The Declaration of Alma-Ata was co-sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO), is a brief document that expresses the need for urgent action by all governments, all health and development workers, and the world community to protect and promote the health of all the people of the world. It was the first international declaration stating the importance of PHC and outlining the world governments’ role and responsibilities to the health of the world’s citizens.
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| Declaration of Alma-Ata in September 1978 |
So, what are the contents in this conference that is so important?
The Declaration of Alma-Ata is a ten point statement calling for urgent and effective national and international action to develop and implement PHC throughout the world.
Declaration:
I
The Conference strongly reaffirms that health, which is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, is a fundamental human right and that the attainment of the highest possible level of health is a most important world-wide social goal whose realization requires the action of many other social and economic sectors in addition to the health sector.
[this is about the definition of health]
II
The existing gross inequality in the health status of the people particularly between developed and developing countries as well as within countries is politically, socially and economically unacceptable and is, therefore, of common concern to all counties.
[about the inequality of health status of people]
III
Economic and social development, based on a New International Economic Order, is of basic importance to the fullest attainment of health for all and to the reduction of the gap between the health status of the developing and developed countries. The promotion and protection of the health of the people is essential to sustained economic and social development and contributes to a better quality of life and to the world peace.
[there are two main things addressed here: the reduction gap of developing and developed countries; and the importance of health promotion and protection that will lead to better quality of life and world peace. How it leads to world peace, that’s some homework for you… =P]
IV
The people have the right and duty to participate individually and collectively in the planning and implementation of their health care.
[its on the people’s right and duty to participate on their own well-being aka health]
V
Governments have a responsibility for the health of their people which can be fulfilled only by the provision of adequate health and social measures. A main social target of government international organization and the whole world community in the coming decades should be the attainment by all peoples of the world by the year 2000 (which was 10 years ago) of a level of health that will permit them to lead a socially and economically productive life. PHC is the key to attaining this target as part of development in the spirit of social justice.
[PHC as the key target that will bring people to productive life]
VI
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 and at a cost that the community and country can afford to maintain at every stage of their development in the spirit of self-reliance and self-determination. It forms an integral part both of the country’s health system, of which is the central function and main focus, and of the overall social and economic development of the community. It is the first level of contact of individuals, the family and community with the national health system bringing health care as close as possible to where people live and work and constitutes the first element of a continuing health care process.
[PHC as essential health care in the first level of contact with the communities]
VII
Primary Health Care (PHC):
- Reflects and evolves from the economic conditions and sociocultural and political characteristics of the country and its communities and is based on the application of the relevant results of social, biomedical and health services research and public health experience;
- Addresses the main health problems in the community, providing promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative services accordingly;
- Includes at least: education concerning prevailing health problems and the methods of preventing and controlling them; promotion of food supply and proper nutrition; an adequate supply of safe water and basic sanitation; maternal and child health care, including family planning; immunization against the major infectious diseases; prevention and control of locally endemic diseases; appropriate treatment of common diseases and injuries; and provision of essential drugs;
- Involves, in addition to the health sector, all related sectors and aspects of national and community development, in particular agriculture, animal husbandry, food, industry, education, housing, public works, communications and other sectors; and demands the coordinated efforts of all those sectors;
- Requires and promotes maximum community and individual self-reliance and participation in the planning, organization, operation and control of PHC, making fullest use of local, national and other available resources; and to this end develops through appropriate education the ability of communities to participate;
- Should be sustained by integrated, functional and mutually supportive referral systems, leading to the progressive improvement of comprehensive health care for all, and giving priority to those most in need
- Relies, at local and referral levels, on health workers; including physicians, nurses, midwives, auxiliaries and community workers as applicable, as well as traditional practitioners as needed, suitably trained socially and technically to work as a health team and to respond to the expressed health needs of the community.
[its all about the roles of PHC]
VIII
All governments should formulate national policies, strategies and plans of action to launch and sustain PHC as part of a comprehensive national health system and in coordination with other sectors. To end this, it will be necessary to exercise political will, to mobilize the country’s resources and to use available external resources rationally.
[its about how to sustain PHC and include coordinate other sectors with it]
IX
All countries should cooperate in a spirit of partnership and service to ensure PHC for all people since the attainment of health by people in any one country directly concerns and benefits every other country. In this context the joint WHO/UNICEF report on PHC constitutes a solid basis or the further development and operation of PHC throughout the world.
[its to implement PHC for all people throughout the world]
X
An acceptable level of health for all the people of the world by the year 2000 can be attained through a fuller and better use of the world’s resources, a considerable part of which now spent on armaments and military conflicts. A genuine policy of independence, peace,détente and disarmament could and should release additional resources that could well be devoted to peaceful aims and in particular to the acceleration of social and economic development of which PHC, as an essential part, should be allotted its proper share.
[to reach an acceptable level of health for all people by the year 2000, which was 10 years ago through PHC]
In conclusion, the International Conference on Primary Health Care calls for urgent and effective national and international action to develop and implement primary health caret hroughout the world and particularly in developing countries in a spirit of technicalcooperation and in keeping with a New International Economic Order. It urgesgovernments, WHO and UNICEF, and other international organizations, as well asmultilateral and bilateral agencies, non-governmental organizations, funding agencies, allhealth workers and the whole world community to support national and international commitment to PHC and to channel increased technical and financial support to it, particularly in developing countries. The Conference calls on all the aforementioned to collaborate in introducing, developing and maintaining primary healthcare in accordance with the spirit and content of this Declaration.
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| Declaration of Alma-Ata Hall |
[Note: The GREEN colour words are from my own thoughts; the YELLOW colour words are the main point; and the BOLD words are important note... Thank you for your attention! ^_^]
REFERENCES:
- Declaration of Alma-Ata: International Conference on Primary Health Care, Alma-Ata, USSR, 6-12September 1978
- Primary Health Care and General Practice: National Information Service; August 2003
- http://www.cliffsnotes.com/Section/What-is-the-Alma-Ata-declaration-.id-305402,articleId-135844.html
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