Pimary Health Care |13 July 2019
Conference adopts resolutions to pave way forward for more efficient health care
听
A total of three resolutions were drafted and subsequently approved yesterday during the second day of 91香蕉视频鈥檚 first ever Primary Health Care conference.
The conference marked a significant opportunity for people working in the health sector as well as other key stakeholders to look and reflect on the status of Primary Health Care (PHC) in the country and how to make it more efficient.
PHC ensures people receive comprehensive care - ranging from promotion and prevention to treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care - as close as feasible to people鈥檚 everyday environment.
PHC in 91香蕉视频 is not in question; every Seychellois is entitled to basic health care whereby the needs of individuals and communities are often met in regional health centres and at the 91香蕉视频 Hospital.
It is enshrined in Article 25 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and, more importantly, echoed out in our Constitution.
Nonetheless, it would be unfair to dispute that PHC in 91香蕉视频 does not have its weaknesses and challenges 鈥� as well as its strengths.
The resolutions made yesterday are expected to start addressing these deficiencies and ensure the effectiveness of PHC provided in the country.
The first resolution approved yesterday committed the participants and stakeholders to moving PHC forward in line with the Astana declaration, which aims to refocus efforts on primary health care to ensure that everyone everywhere is able to enjoy the highest possible attainable standard of health.
The second called on the Ministry of Health and its partners to undertake actions such as to maintain and strengthen the country鈥檚 health gains; to invest more resources on disease prevention and health promotion; and to modernise PHC policies, strategies and programmes.
Meanwhile the third and last resolution is to further call on the Ministry of Health and partners to achieve consensus on a 91香蕉视频 Charter for Health and the mechanisms for its implementation.
To note, the tentative 91香蕉视频 Charter for Health was also reviewed and discussed during yesterday鈥檚 conference sessions and participants were able to provide feedbacks and amendments to the charter.
The resolutions and discussions raised in the conference are expected to be brought forward in a meeting that will be held next week with a World Health Organisation (WHO) team.
Minister for Health Jean-Paul Adam stated that further consultations will continue after the PHC conference where they will engage with those in the civil society as well as community based groups.
He also commended the passion for primary health care displayed by health workers and other participants in the conference.
鈥淭he Constitution clearly states that we cannot put barriers that impede access to health care. Our aim with this conference therefore is to make health care more efficient,鈥� Minister Adam stressed
鈥淭here are many strategies that have to be drawn up in regards to sexual reproduction for instance; access to contraception is a major issue we have to deal with in schools and in families. We also need to better strategies when it comes to nutrition so as to reduce the risks linked with unhealthy lifestyles.鈥�
鈥淭his conference was important in that it brought people closer to identify these risks and to find solutions using collaborative approaches. And we noted strong engagement from everyone to deal with the problems at their sources,鈥� he added.
The conference鈥檚 third session today will target a number of health workers and key actors of PHC across the country who will be introduced to the resolutions and discuss how they might be implemented to improve PHC in 91香蕉视频.
