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Primary health care

doctor examining a boy

The ultimate goal of primary health care is better health for all. WHO has identified five key elements to achieving that goal:

  • reducing exclusion and social disparities in health (universal coverage reforms);
  • organizing health services around people's needs and expectations (service delivery reforms);
  • integrating health into all sectors (public policy reforms);
  • pursuing collaborative models of policy dialogue (leadership reforms); and
  • increasing stakeholder participation.

SPEECHES OF THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL

Speeches of the Director-General on primary health care

PUBLICATIONS

Primary health care – now more than ever
The world health report 2008

The Declaration of Alma-Ata [pdf 26kb]

The Bulletin series: primary health care 30 years on

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Essential health technologies

Essential Medicines and Pharmaceutical Policies

Health financing policy

Health workforce

Health service delivery

RELATED TOPICS

- Social determinants of health

- Health and development


WHO PROGRAMME AND ACTIVITIES

Health systems

The Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research
PRIMARY HEALTH CARE IN WHO REGIONS

African Region
Region of the Americas–PAHO
South-East Asia Region
European Region
Eastern Mediterranean Region
Western Pacific Region


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