BMJ  2008;336:536-538 (8 March), doi:10.1136/bmj.39469.432118.AD

Analysis

Is the declaration of Alma Ata still relevant to primary health care?

¹ Institute of Public Health, Cambridge CB2 2SR

Editorial, doi: 10.1136/bmj.39496.444271.80

Thirty years after WHO highlighted the importance of primary health carein tackling health inequality in every country, Stephen Gillam reflects on the reasons for slow progress and the implications for today’s health systems

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

After years of relative neglect, the World Health Organization has recently given strategic prominence to the development of primary health care. This year sees the 30th anniversary of the declaration of Alma Ata (box 1). Convened by WHO and the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef), the Alma Ata conference drew representatives from 134 countries, 67 international organisations, and many non-governmental organisations. (China was notably absent.) Primary health care "based on practical, scientifically sound and socially acceptable methods and technology made universally accessible through people’s full participation and at a cost that the community and country can afford" was to be the key to delivering health for all by the year 2000.¹ Primary health care in this context includes both primary medical care and activities tackling determinants of ill health.

Box 1 Characteristics of primary health care from Alma Ata declaration1 Evolves from the economic conditions and sociocultural and political characteristics of a country and its communities Is based on the application . . . [Full text of this article]

Primary health care eclipsed

Challenges facing health systems

Past and future threats

Box 2 Essential components of effective primary health care
Summary points

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This article has been cited by other articles:

• Maeseneer, J. D., Weel, C. v., Egilman, D., Mfenyana, K., Kaufman, A., Sewankambo, N., Flinkenflogel, M. (2008). Funding for primary health care in developing countries. BMJ 336: 518-519 [Full text]