what is community medicine ?, why it is requiered ?, what is health for all. Primary health is the key to achieve it. what is deprofessionalization of Medicine ?

1. COMMUNITY MEDICINE
BY DR. MAYUR SAYTA

2. WHAT IS COMMUNITY MEDICINE ?
• IT IS THE SUCCESSOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH
• IT IS DEFINED AS “ THE SPECIALIY WHICH DEALS WITH
POPULATIONS AND COMPRISES THOSE DOCTORS WHO TRY TO
MEASURE THE NEEDS OF THE POPULATION, BOTH SICK AND
WELL, WHO PLAN AND ADMINISTER SERVICES TO MEET THOSE
NEEDS AND THOSE WHO ARE ENGAGED IN RESEARCH AND
TEACHING IN THE FIELD”
• THERE ARE OTHER DEFINITIONS ALSO.
• THERE IS STILL CONFUSION AND CONFLICTS ABOUT THE ROLE,
TASKS AND PROFESSIONAL IDENTITIES OF PERSONS WORKING IN
COMMUNITY MEDICINE.

3. HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
• THE HEALTH SERVICES WHICH WE HAD BUILT WAS ACCESSIBLE
TO PRIVILEGED FEW AND URBAN POPULATION MAINLY.
• THE COST OF HEALTH CARE IS RISING WITHOUT MUCH
IMPROVEMENT IN THEIR QUALITY
• THERE HAS BEEN A GROWING DISSATISFACTION WITH EXISTING
HEALTH SERVICES.
• THERE IS CLEAR DEMAND FOR BETTER HEALTH CARE.

4. HEALTH FOR ALL
• THE 30TH WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY RESOLVED IN MAY 1977
THAT THE MAIN SOCIAL TARGET OF GOVERNMENTS AND WHO IN
THE COMING DECADES SHOULD “ HEALTH FOR ALL BY THE YEAR
2000 ”
• ALL PEOPLE IN ALL COUNTRIES SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST SUCH A
LEVEL OF HEALTH THAT THEY ARE CAPABLE OF WORKING
PRODUCTIVELY AND OF PARTICIPATING ACTIVELY IN THE SOCIAL
LIFE OF THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH THEY LIVE.

5. • HEALTH FOR ALL MEANS THAT HEALTH IS TO BE BROUGHT
WHITHIN THE REACH OF EVERY ONE IN A GIVEN COMMUNITY
• IT CAN BE DONE BY ELIMINATION OF MALNUTRITION, DISEASE,
CONTAMINATED WATER SUPPLY, UNHYGENIC HOUSING ETC.
• HEALTH FOR ALL IS A HOLISTIC CONCEPT WHICH NEEDS BETTER
EFFORTS IN AGRICULTURE, INDUSTRY, EDUCATION, HOUSING,
COMMUNICATION, MEDICINE AND PUBLIC HEALTH.
• HEALTH FOR ALL HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS A REVOLUTIONARY
CONCEPT AND A HISTORIC MOVEMENT.

6. PRIMARY HEALTH CARE
• JOINT WHO - UNICEF INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN 1978 AT
ALMA-ATA, THE GOVERNMENTS OF 134 COUNTRIES AND MANY
VOLUNTARY AGENCIES CALLED FOR A REVOLUTIONARY
APPROACH TO HEALTH CARE.
• THE ALMA-ATA CONFERENCE CALLED FOR ACCEPTANCE OF THE
WHO GOAL OF HEALTH FOR ALL BY 2000 A.D. AND PROCLAIMED
PRIMARY HEALTH CARE AS WAY TO ACHIEVING “HEALTH FOR
ALL”

7. • PRIMARY HEALTH CARE IS A NEW APPROACH TO HEALTH CARE.
• IT INTEGRATES AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL FOR IMPROVING THE HEALTH
STATUS OF THE POPULATION.
• IT CONSISTS OF AT LEAST 8 ELEMENTS DESCRIBED AS “ESSENTIAL HEALTH
CARE”
• THE ALMA ATA DECLARATION CALLED ON ALL GOVERNMENTS TO FORMULATE
NATIONAL POLICIES, STRATEGIES AND PLAN OF ACTION TO LAUNCH AND
SUSTAIN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE AS A PART OF A NATIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM.

8. DE PROFESSIONALIZATION OF MEDICINE
• LAYMEN HAVE COME TO PLAY A PROMINENT ROLE IN THE DELIVERY OF
HEALTH CARE.
• THE PARTICIPATION OF A NEW CADRE OF HEALTH CARE WORKERS (E.G.
COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, PRACTITIONERS OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE,
SOCIAL WORKERS) ARE INVOLVED TO ACHIEVE PRIMERY HEALTH CARE.
• THEY ARE GIVEN NEW ROLES AS EDUCATOR, CASE FINDER, PREVENTER,
COUNSELLOR, AND AN AGENT OF SOCIAL CHANGE.

9. THANK YOU