Primary healthcare policy implementation in the Eastern Mediterranean region: Experiences of six countries

van Weel, Chris, Alnasir, Faisal, Farahat, Taghreed, Usta, Jinan, Osman, Mona, Abdulmalik, Mariam, Nashat, Nagwa, Alsharief, Wadeia Mohamed, Sanousi, Salwa, Saleh, Hassan, Tarawneh, Mohammed, Goodyear-Smith, Felicity, Howe, Amanda and Kassai, Ryuki (2018) Primary healthcare policy implementation in the Eastern Mediterranean region: Experiences of six countries. European Journal of General Practice, 24 (1). pp. 39-44. ISSN 1381-4788

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Abstract

Background: Primary healthcare (PHC) is essential for equitable access and cost-effective healthcare. This makes PHC a key factor in the global strategy for universal health coverage (UHC). Implementing PHC requires an understanding of the health system under prevailing circumstances, but for most countries, no data are available. Objectives: This paper describes and analyses the health systems of Bahrain, Egypt, Lebanon, Qatar, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates, in relation to PHC. Methods: Data were collected during a workshop at the WONCA East Mediterranean Regional Conference in 2017. Academic family physicians (FP) presented their country, using the WONCA framework of 11 PowerPoint slides with queries of the country demographics, main health challenges, and the position of PHC in the health system. Results: All six countries have improved the health of their populations, but currently face challenges of non-communicable diseases, aging populations and increasing costs. Main concerns were a lack of trained FPs in community settings, underuse of prevention and of equitable access to care. Countries differed in the extent to which this had resulted in coherent policy. Conclusion: Priorities were (i) advocacy for community-based PHC to policymakers, including the importance of coordination of healthcare at the community level, and UHC to respond to the needs of populations; (ii) collaboration with universities to include PHC as a core component of every medical curriculum; (iii) collaboration with communities to improve public understanding of PHC; (iv) engagement with the private sector to focus on PHC and UHC.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	primary healthcare,community health services,family physicians,healthcare facilities,healthcare quality,access,health services,sdg 3 - good health and well-being ,/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/good_health_and_well_being
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Health Services and Primary Care
Depositing User:	Pure Connector
Date Deposited:	30 Nov 2017 06:07
Last Modified:	21 Oct 2022 17:31
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/65639
DOI:	10.1080/13814788.2017.1397624

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