Integrated primary care for UHC
Primary care is the foundation for achieving universal health coverage (UHC). People in countries with strong primary care often live healthier lives and experience greater health equity. Investing in primary care can also reduce overall healthcare costs and ensure everyone receives the services they need.
The five core functions of primary care
What is the relationship between primary care and primary health care?
Primary care is a key process in a health system that provides promotive, protective, preventive, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative services throughout the life course. Primary health care (PHC) is a broader whole-of-society approach with three components: (a) primary care and essential public health functions as a core of integrated health services; (b) multisectoral policy and action; and (c) empowered people and communities.
Key facts
- 193 countries have committed to advance UHC by 2030 as part of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), but we are off track...
- 57% or 4.5 billion people lack full coverage of essential health services
- 26% of people face financial hardship accessing services
Our work
The Clinical Services and Systems Unit supports countries in strengthening primary care with practical resources and tools, including:
- WHO's Primary Care Reference Package supports countries to explicitly consider and include primary care in a UHC package of services.
- IMPACT (Integrated Management for Primary & Acute Care Technologies) provides real-time, evidence-based clinical support to first contact health workers
- WHO's Primary Care Toolkit will provide a suite of checklists, structured encounter forms, and a data set to guide health workers in delivering high-quality primary care.
Through these initiatives and others, WHO is committed to advancing stronger primary care and supporting countries to advance toward UHC.
Publications
Operational Framework for Primary Health Care
World Health Organization & United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). (2020). Operational framework...
Declaration of Astana
The Global Conference on Primary Health Care in Astana, Kazakhstan in October 2018 endorsed a new declaration emphasizing the critical role of primary...
Integrated management of adolescent and adult illness (IMAI) district clinician manual: Hospital care...
This document provides guidelines for the management of common illnesses with limited resources, including the management of cyanide poisoning (Chapter...
