Health for All: Is It a Dream?
Ensuring health for all, in accordance with the goals of the World Health Organization, depends upon linking primary health care with public health care strategies and policies (Universal Health Coverage, n.d.). That is why the WHO (2005) have developed strategies and policies for countries from the EU to Indiathe goal is to increase access to quality care universally. The primary health care approach in low-income countries is often focused on preventative care in order to reduce the prevalence of infectious diseases. For example, immunization programs can be effective for the prevention and management of some diseases such as measles. Vaccinations are a major part of the primary health care approach in low-income countries, allowing people to receive the necessary vaccines to protect them from many diseases. A recent example of the success of a primary health care approach towards a specific disease is the success of Rotavirus vaccination in India. The introduction of rotavirus vaccination in India has been linked to a 56% reduction in deaths from rotavirus disease (Reddy et al., 2020). This success is due to the effective implementation of the primary healthcare approach, as health care workers educate people about the importance of preventative health care measures such as rotavirus vaccination.
The public health approach is also beneficial for the prevention and management of certain diseases, as it focuses on population-level interventions to prevent and reduce disease prevalence. For example, the public health approach may involve interventions focused on reducing the spread of a particular infectious disease by implementing hygienic practices such as hand-washing. Additionally, public health initiatives such as water sanitation can be an effective measure for the prevention and management of water-borne illnesses such as cholera. In conclusion, both the primary health care approach and the public health approach can be effective in the prevention and management of infectious diseases and ensuring health for all.
References
Reddy, S. N., Nair, N. P., Tate, J. E., Thiyagarajan, V., Giri, S., Praharaj, I., ... & Kang,
G. (2020). Intussusception after rotavirus vaccine introduction in India.New England Journal of Medicine,383(20), 1932-1940.
Universal Health Coverage. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.who.int/health-topics/universal-health-coverage#tab=tab_1
World Health Organization. (2005). The Health for All policy framework for the WHO
European Region. Retrieved from https://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/98387/E87861.pdf
