Alma-Ata

In the Philippines, nongovernment organizations (NGOs), even before Alma-Ata, had taken the lead producing community health workers, with government getting on the bandwagon later to train barangay health workers.

Declaration of Alma-Ata, International Conference on Primary Health Care, Alma-Ata, USSR, September 6-12, 1978.

The train will pass through Khorgos, Alma-Ata, Karaganda and Shymkent, reducing the transport time to Central Asia by nearly seven days compared with previous transshipment from other ports.

Forty years ago last month, thousands of delegates from 134 countries gathered in Kazakhstan, then a part of the former Soviet Union, to adopt the Declaration of Alma-Ata. This landmark agreement committed the world to expanding health access, and the principles it enshrined in a mere three pages continue to have a profound effect on the field of public health.

Many consider this 'Alma-Ata Declaration' among the critical public health milestones of the 20th century, signaling a global commitment to make quality health care universally accessible by bringing it down to the community.

Many consider this "Alma-Ata Declaration" among the critical public health milestones of the 20th century, signaling a global commitment to make quality healthcare universally accessible, by bringing it down to the community.

"The year 2018 is also the 40th anniversary of the historic Alma-Ata Declaration, and due to our collective efforts, the Region is better prepared, and is accelerating progress toward the shared global vision of health for all through universal health coverage," he added.

According to the Alma-Ata Declaration, primary healthcare should include health education, maternal and child health services, among other, as well as provide treatment for common diseases.

In 1978, 3,000 delegates from 134 countries and 67 international organizations met in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan, to discuss and approve what would become the Alma-Ata Declaration (Cueto 2004).

figure By DAVID KITAVI A widely accepted definition of a community health worker proposed by a World Health Organisation (WHO) Study Group (1989) is: Community health workers (CHWs) should be members of the communities where they work, should be selected by the communities, should be answerable to the communities for their activities, should be supported by the health system, but not necessarily a part of its organisation, and have shorter training than professional workers.Since Alma-Ata Declaration of 1978, the CHWs have acted as a link between the community and health systems.

Dr Ovberedjo said the WHO constitution recognised health as a human right and that the Alma-Ata Declaration also viewed it as an important economic and social development issue.

He is a hugely distinguished academic, with over 400 scientific papers to his credit, and currently rector of al-Farabi Kazakh National University in Alma-Ata. In 2013, his achievements were recognized in France by the award of a Chevalier L'Ordre des Palmes acadAaAaAeA@mique

The principle of PHC as defined at Alma-Ata is essential health care that is universally accessible to all in the community at affordable cost.4 Utilization of health services provided by PHC is highly beneficial for community itself and for whole country at large.

In 1978, Pakistan became signatory to World Health Organization's Alma-Ata Declaration, which defined the target for 'Health for All' by the Year 2000.4,5 One of the five principles of Alma-Ata focuses on disease prevention, health promotion, and curative and rehabilitative services.