Primary Health Care

Primary Health Care (pronunciation: /ˈpraɪməri hɛlθ kɛər/), often abbreviated as PHC, refers to the essential health care made universally accessible to individuals and acceptable to them, through their full participation and at a cost the community and country can afford. It is the first level of contact of individuals, the family, and community with the national health system.

Etymology

The term "Primary Health Care" is derived from the English words "primary," meaning "first or highest in rank or importance," and "health care," which refers to the maintenance and improvement of physical and mental health, primarily through the provision of medical services.

Related Terms

Health Care: The organized provision of medical care to individuals or a community.
Public Health: The science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health through organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private communities, and individuals.
Community Health: A field within public health which focuses on the study and improvement of the health characteristics of biological communities.
Health Systems: All organizations, people and actions whose primary intent is to promote, restore or maintain health.

Primary Health Care

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