Under the chairmanship of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan, an online consultation was held with the EuroWHO member states on the role of PHC in the fight against the pandemic

Under the chairmanship of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan, an online consultation was held with the EuroWHO member states on the role of PHC in the fight against the pandemic

04/08/21 An online consultation “Understanding the potential of primary health care:“ Experience gained in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in the WHO European Region ”chaired by Vice Minister of Health Azhar Giniyat was held in Nur-Sultan.

During the event, a constructive exchange of views took place between Member States and WHO staff on the working paper “Realizing the Potential of Primary Health Care: Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic and Their Implications for Future Directions in the WHO European Region”.

In their speeches, all participants touched upon the important role of PHC for ensuring the health of citizens in general and in times of emergency.

“Primary health care organizations not only carry out activities for epidemiological surveillance, testing, contact tracing, management of lungs and asymptomatic patients and their rehabilitation, but also ensure continuous access of the population to basic health services during emergencies,” Azhar Giniyat said.

The event served as a platform for dialogue between countries, where everyone was able to express their views on the role that primary health care has played in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic at the national level, as well as on the lessons learned that will further prepare for the threats ahead and health emergencies.

At the same time, as noted by the chairmanship, Kazakhstan proposes to continue the implementation of the Astana Declaration and the Operational Mechanism for PHC, develop the capacity of PHC focused on universal health coverage, including in emergency situations.

Representatives of WHO, including Ms. Melitta Yakab, Head of the WHO geographically dispersed Primary Health Care Office in Almaty, and her team, expressed their views on the future directions of PHC development. They noted the role of multidisciplinary teams, the specifics of organizing PHC in rural areas, ways to increase the capacity of human resources, the importance of supporting vulnerable groups of the population, as well as the possibility of cross-country exchange of best practices.

At the end of the meeting, A. Giniyat expressed confidence that the working document on realizing the potential of primary health care, as well as the resolution created on its basis, will help the countries of the WHO European Region to continue strengthening primary health care at the national and regional levels.