Primary health care and the role of the University

Abstract

ResumenPrimary health care (PHC) is currently the most important health reform underway in the world today. In most countries, governments and services have taken the lead in PHC development as a result of the declaration of Alma Ata. Since the 1990s, a large amount of evidence has demonstrated the impact of a strong primary health care system on the health of the communities. 2,3 Improved health status of a community is directly related to a better or morebalanced ratio of primary care professionals to specialists and to increased individual access to primary care within a region. As co-morbidities increase as a population ages, access to comprehensive and coordinated primary care becomes an increasingly cost-effective approach. Accessibility to primary care reduces the adverse effects on health of social inequalities.