Rethinking Primary Health Care Regarding the Millenium Goals

RETHINKING PRIMARY HEALTH CARE REGARDING THE MILLENNIUM GOALS

Introduction: Health services for Primary Health Care (PHC) can be considered as a major instrument for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Objective: to promote reflection on the new challenges of health services for the PHC to achieve the MDGs. Method: this is a theoretical and reflective study which is based on the "Declaration of Alma-Ata (1978)", the "Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion (1986)" and the "Millennium Declaration of the United Nations (2000)." Discussion: the Declaration of Alma-Ata and the Ottawa Charter became the pillar of support for achieving the MDGs proposed by the United Nations (2008). The Declaration of Alma-Ata pointed out that for countries to offer quality and equity health services to the population it would be necessary to prioritize the Primary Health Care; and the Ottawa Charter stated the need for reorientation of health services to the development of health promotion. The Primary Health Care is part of the country's socio-economic development, which supposes that the health activities should be coordinated with other social sectors. In this context, the community participation should also contribute to determine and solve its problems as a way to ensuring equitable distribution and access to health services. Considering this point of view, the Ottawa Charter reaffirmed the equity as an important point for social control, and also the need for public policy development and healthy environments for health. The achievement of the MDGs is related to the strengthening of Primary Health Care and equity of access to social and health services. Conclusions: thus, it is highlighted the need to reflect if currently the health services for Primary Health Care are reproducing the curative model or are working with health promotion, as a way to achieve the MDGs.