1.
Identification of
common endemic diseases in the community. Endemic diseases are so described
when they are only found among specified people in specified country.
2. Promotion of the prevention of diseases in susceptible
individual through immunization.
3. Supply of appropriate drugs for treatments of
diseases.
4. Training and supply of adequate number of well
qualified health personnel e.g doctors, nurses, midwives, health educators,
pharmacists, laboratory, technicians etc.
5. Provision of health care facilities and ensuring their
fair and equitable distribution.
According
to Nigeria national policy on health (1996), national health system shall be
developed at three levels (Nonye 2005:90. These include;
i.
Primary health
care or basic health care
ii.
Secondary health
care or specialized health care
iii.
Tertiary health
care or comprehensive health care.
CONCEPTS OF PRIMARY HEALTH CARE
The term primary health care dates back to 1920 in
England when Lord Dawson reported on first contact medical care and the
promotion of primary health centre (Nonye 2005:10).
In a joint conference on primary
health care sponsored by WHO and UNICEF in Alma-Ata in Russia in 1978, PHC was
recognized and defined as essential health care based on practical
scientifically sound and socially acceptable methods and technology made
universally accessible to individual and families in the community through
their full participation and at a cost that the community and country can
afford to maintain at every stage of their development in the spirit of
self-reliance and self determination (Obionua, 2007:1).
Primary health care is therefore
regarded to mean:
Health approach which integrates all
the community level elements necessary to make an impacts upon the health
status of the people. An approach which is integral part of the national health
care system. It makes into account the fundamental human needs necessary to
improve living condition of individuals, families and communities.
These needs include preventive,
promotive, curative and rehabilitative health measures, and community
development activities. The particular problems that give rise to high
incidence of diseases in Nigeria for which PHC, if properly managed, could
tackle are identified below:
·
The kind of
health activities of the community
·
ignorance of
correct health practice, culture, taboo, food preference.
·
Poverty
associated with poor nutrition, poor housing
·
Poor personal
hygiene and environmental sanitation
·
Lack of good
quality water (portable water)
·
Too many children
being born
·
Lack of
facilities for treatments of diseases and preventing diseases.