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The Birchwood National Consultative Health Forum Declaration on Primary Health Care
Department of Health www.doh.gov.za
2008-04-18
We, the members of the National Consultative Health Forum, representing government, public and private health sectors, statutory bodies, academic and research institutions, community organisations, civil society, non-governmental organisations and organised labour, in our meeting at Birchwood conference centre, Gauteng Province, held on 10-11 April 2008, on Primary Health Care to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Alma Ata Declaration, hereby:
Note:
1. The achievements that have been made in the implementation of the Alma Ata declaration globally, including improving access to Primary Health Care services and equitable allocation of resources.
2. The Kopanong Declaration on Primary Health Care in 2003 which, inter alia, resolved to implement concrete strategies and processes, with clear targets, to reduce inequities in the allocation of resources for primary health care with a focus on both horizontal and vertical equity.
3. That there have been many achievements in the delivery of Primary Health Care services in South Africa, but there are still many challenges including availability of adequate human resources for health, improving quality of care, strengthening district management and community participation.
Reaffirm
1. Our commitment to the principles in the Declaration of Alma Ata, adopted in September 1978.
2. That health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, and that access to healthcare is a fundamental human right. The attainment of the highest possible level of health is a most important worldwide social goal whose realisation requires the action of many other social and economic sectors in addition to the health sector.
Resolve
That the revisioned and revitalized primary health care strategy for South Africa will include:
1. Advocating for an increase in the resource allocation for primary health care, by at least doubling the current per capita expenditure over the next ten years.
2. Better alignment at district level of key interventions that impact on health, notably provision of water and sanitation, early childhood development, recreational programmes, health education and other activities that focus on encouraging healthy lifestyles especially amongst the youth in particular.
3. Strengthening the role, responsibilities, authority and accountability of the district health management team so as to achieve improved health outcomes.
4. Strengthening the health information system to generate good quality data for monitoring health outcomes and informing decision making.
5. Strengthening national and provincial support to districts as well as ensuring that provincial managers are accountable for primary health care outcomes.
6. Strengthening various models including those that focus on a catchment population and further explore a South African model for the delivery of comprehensive primary health care services.
7. Maximize the benefit of political leadership in supporting the provision of health care and the positive impact of healthy lifestyles.
8. Ensure that Primary Health Care provided by the private health sector is made more affordable to the public.
9. Improve the provision of support by hospitals to comprehensive primary health care to strengthen continuum of care.
10. Re-orientate all health workers and managers to the Primary Health Care approach.
11. Include the PHC approach in the trainingof health workers to ensure their appropriate professional socialisation.
We, the delegates gathered here, therefore undertake to use every opportunity to ensure that progress is made in improving the health status of all those who live in South Africa.
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