Medical Education for Primary Health Care

Abstract

The aim of this publication is to reinforce the efforts of Member States and medical schools as they seek joint approaches to strengthen the ability of future physicians to better understand their role in responding to the growing needs of the population and contributing to the development of health systems based on primary health care. The initiative for renewal of primary health care has been prompted in large part by the realities of social exclusion from health care that continue to persist in many countries of the Americas: 230 million people (46% of the population) are without health insurance and 125 million (25%) are without regular access to basic health services—120 million for economic reasons and 107 million for geographic reasons. As a result, 17% of births are not attended by skilled health personnel, 680,000 children have not completed their DPT3 vaccination series, and 152 million live without access to drinking water and basic sanitation...