Tuesday 26 June 2018

Some Concepts On Primary Health Care Somalia Residents May Be Interested In

By Joshua Bennett


Abbreviated as PHC, primary health care is more than just finding a cure to a disease. It brings together various sectors in the society with an aim of providing what is commonly termed universal healthcare. The idea is to integrate both curative and preventive measures in alleviating disease, not just in a single person but in the society as a whole. There are a number of essentials on primary health care Somalia residents may find worth knowing as they strive to benefit from better service provision.

A key principle in PHC is equity in distribution of services. This implies facilities and service should be made accessible in all areas based on how much a community can accommodate in terms of resources. It is discriminatory to provide services based on race, gender or the status of a person in society.

For effective working of PHC, participation of the community is crucial. Members of the community should be educated on the best way take of care of their health. This information can either come from local healthcare workers or it can be outsourced from other experts in the field. The community needs to be keen on implementing what they have been taught. Some of the activities they can participate in include use of pit latrines and keeping the environment clean and free of bushes.

Developing the health workforce is another way in which healthcare can be made universal. Healthcare workers including nurses, doctors, laboratory technicians, physiotherapists, among others should be available in within a couple of kilometers of every village. This is to ensure that patients receive attention as soon as they need it. The concerned stakeholders (government and non-governmental organizations), therefore, need to train and employ more healthcare workers in a bid to achieve this.

In spite of advances in technology in science today, efficient health care provision may not be possible for some of these communities. This is mainly due to the absence of the necessary infrastructure. It should, however, be noted that for technology to be successful in a given healthcare setting, it needs to be fair in pricing for patients. The staff should also be able to handle the equipment with ease. In addition, most machines require electricity, which may not be available in remote villages.

Evidently, success in universal health care is dependent on multiple sectors and not just the healthcare sector. Some of these sectors include engineering, agriculture, societal organizations and the education sector. Agriculture, for instance, is crucial in providing food security for the community. The engineering technical unit serves to provide good roads and electricity where it is needed.

An important concept that has been developed over the past years is what is referred to as selective primary health care. In selective PHC, any goal that is set needs to be specific and something that can be measured. Some of the underlying healthcare issues addressed in selective PHC include family planning, growth monitoring, breastfeeding and immunization.

In conclusion, primary health care is one important concept that needs to be given the attention it deserves. To be as comprehensive as possible, several other sectors, apart from health, have to be brought into the picture. There is hope for achieving set targets when participants and stakeholders have a positive attitude and patience in the journey.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment