Declaration of Alma-Ata
Declaration of Alma-Ata was adopted at the International Conference on
Description
The conference called for urgent and effective national and international action to develop and implement primary health care throughout the world and particularly in developing countries in a spirit of technical cooperation and in keeping with a
Definition of health
The first section of the declaration reaffirms the WHO definition of
Equality
The declaration highlighted the inequality of health status between the developed and the developing countries and termed it politically, socially and economically unacceptable.[citation needed]
Health as a socio-economic issue and as a human right
The third section called for economic and social development as a pre-requisite to the attainment of health for all. It also declared positive effects on economic and social development and on world peace through promotion and protection of the health of the people.[citation needed]
Participation of people as a group or individually in planning and implementing their health care was declared as a human right and duty.[citation needed]
Role of the state
This section emphasized on the role of the state in providing adequate health and social measures. This section enunciated the call for "Health For All" which became a campaign of the WHO in the coming years. It defined Health for All as the attainment by all peoples of the world by the year 2000 of a level of health that will permit them to lead a socially and economically productive life. The declaration urged governments, international organizations and the whole world community to take this up as a main social target in the spirit of social justice.[citation needed]
Primary health care and components
This section defined primary health care and urged signatories to incorporate the concept of primary health care in their health systems. Primary health care has since been adopted by many member nations. More recently, Margaret Chan, the Director-General of the WHO has reaffirmed the primary health care approach as the most efficient and cost-effective way to organize a health system. She also pointed out that international evidence overwhelmingly demonstrates that health systems oriented toward primary health care produce better outcomes, at lower costs, and with higher user satisfaction.[4]
The seventh section lists the components of primary health care. The next two sections called on all governments to incorporate primary health care approach in their health systems and urged international cooperation in better use of the world's resources.[citation needed]
Criticisms of and reactions to the Alma-Ata Declaration
The Alma-Ata Declaration generated numerous criticisms and reactions worldwide. Many argued that the slogan "Health for All by 2000" was not possible and that the declaration did not have clear targets. In his article "The Origins of Primary Health Care and Selective Primary Health Care", Marcos Cueto claims that the declaration was condemned as being unrealistic, idealistic, and too broad. As a result of these criticisms, the
As a result, Selective Primary Health Care (PHC) was introduced. As opposed to PHC of the Alma-Ata Declaration, Selective PHC presented the idea of obtaining low-cost solutions to very specific and common causes of death. The targets and effects of Selective PHC were clear, concise, measurable, and easy to observe. This is because Selective PHC had explicit areas of focus that were believed to be the most important. They were known as GOBI (growth monitoring,
Legacy
The World Health Organization, UNICEF and the Government of Kazakhstan co-hosted the Global Conference on Primary Health Care in Astana on 25–26 October 2018. The conference marked the 40th anniversary of the Alma-Ata Declaration, and united world leaders to affirm that strong primary health care is essential to achieve universal health coverage.[6] The conference resulted in the adoption of the Astana Declaration on Primary Health Care that reaffirmed and extended the Alma-Ata Declaration.[7]
See also
- Alliance for Healthy Cities
- Global health
- Health policy
- Millennium Development Goals
- Primary health care
- Public health
- Right to health
- Sustainable Development Goals
- World Health Organization
- Dimitri Venediktov
Notes
- ^ WHO. Declaration from the website of the World Health Organization.
- ^ "WHO | China's village doctors take great strides". WHO. Archived from the original on February 9, 2009. Retrieved 2019-10-23.
- ^ WHO. Definition of health from WHO Constitution. The same is reaffirmed by the Alma Ata Declaration World Health Organization; 2006
- ^ "WHO | Keynote address at the International Seminar on Primary Health Care in Rural China". December 12, 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-12-12.
- ^ Cueto Marcos. 2004. "The Origins of Primary Health Care and Selective Primary Health Care". Am J Public Health 94 (11): 1864–1874.
- ^ "Countries Around the World Just Pledged to Provide Decent Primary Health Care to All Their Citizens". www.undispatch.com. 30 October 2018.
- ^ Declaration of Astana (Report). World Health Organization. 26 October 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
External links
- Declaration of Alma-Ata. Pan American Health Organization.
- Declaration of Alma-Ata. World Health Organization.
- International Anniversary conference marking 35 years of the Declaration of Alma-Ata on Primary Health Care