Beyond COVID-19: Creating a public health system based on Comprehensive Primary Health Care

Abstract

The World Health Organization was created in 1948. It was initially focused on medical and bio-medical issues and on the delivery of health services. The Alma Ata Declaration of 1978 brought the wider context of social determinants based on the principles of equity and community participation into discussions about how health improves1. The Global Conference on Primary Health Care in Astana, Kazakhstan in October 2018, reinforced the critical role of primary health care to ensure that everyone everywhere is able to enjoy the highest possible attainable standard of health2. Primary Health Care (PHC) became the policy of all member nations. Despite this policy, focus has remained on the delivery of health services. This siloed approach proved inadequate to address the COVID pandemic. The result has been the loss of several hundred thousand lives as well as livelihood of millions more people3.