Transforming Primary Health Care during the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the transformation of primary health care (PHC) in the pan-European Region, showing that it can both contribute to emergency response and provide essential services. This transformation and its lessons were at the
heart of today’s plenary session at the 71st session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe.
Health ministers, government officials, non-State actors and experts gathered virtually on this second day of WHO/Europe’s yearly ministerial event to reiterate their commitments to strengthening PHC – especially in view of the lessons brought
to light by the pandemic.
“Strengthening primary health care is our priority of priorities. COVID-19 has underlined the importance of sustained efforts, and the past year has only magnified the urgency of our commitments and our determination to live up to them,” said
Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.
“Through united action, we will succeed in realizing the true potential of primary health care for better health.”
In her keynote presentation, Dr Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat, Director of the Division of Country Health Policies and Systems, highlighted the trends we have seen over the past 20 months and outlined key actions for the future.
“We have witnessed the delivery of PHC in many different ways and platforms; we have seen PHC serving the needs of the vulnerable, and we have observed the creation and growth of multidisciplinary teams of PHC workers,” she said. “Now
we need to focus on investing in the workforce, allocating resources where they’re needed the most and promoting leadership at all levels.”
Country experiences
The event also included the participation of PHC workers, who shared their expectations and hopes for PHC.
“I worry about the prestige of primary health care. We are driven, well-trained professionals making a difference,” said Ms Stephanie Funder, a young nurse from Denmark, via a recorded video statement. “We need to talk more and better
about what PHC is and how it makes an impact for the individual, community and society.”
Delegates and participants proposed concrete actions and highlighted country experiences – all culminating in the adoption of a new resolution that expresses the commitments and priorities for the future.
“Pragmatic country experiences inspire. As a foundation for today’s discussion and all the materials, we invested in documenting trends in the transformation of primary health care over the past year and launched a new series of country vignettes,”
said Dr Melitta Jakab, Head of the WHO European Centre for Primary Health Care. “The contributions from Member States on the panel and the general discussion really showed this inspirational commitment.”
The WHO European Centre for Primary Health Care has launched a series of country vignettes that capture the experiences of 15 countries in the WHO European Region and describe policy instruments that countries have implemented to strengthen the role of primary health care either in the pandemic response or in maintaining essential health services. By showcasing the vignettes, WHO/Europe seeks to promote cross-country exchange of information and experiences, inspire action among decision-makers and accelerate ongoing reforms in primary health care. Find them at the link below.