The role of qualified personnel in health and development.

In an effort to extend health care services as rapidly as possible to the 2/3 of the worlds inhabitants who currently lack these services a new health strategy was endorsed at the 32nd World Health Assembly in May 1979. The new strategy emphasizes the delivery of primary health care at the community level and recognizes the relationship between health and development. According to the new strategy there are 3 levels in the primary health care system and health personnel at each level have the dual role of providing health services and participating in development activities. At the peripheral level or community level community health workers provide treatment for common diseases referral services and health education services. In addition the village level personnel promote community development and public health. At the intermediate level there is a health center which serves a number of communities. The center is staffed by medical assistants public health nurses and other types of health personnel. The staff is responsible for running the center supervising and assisting the village health workers at the peripheral level and promoting development programs in the area served by the center. At the district level there is a 1st line hospital staffed by 1 or more physicians and a team of health professional. The hospital serves the entire district and accepts patients referred on from the 2 lower levels. The staff also works to promote district wide development programs which span either the provincial regional and national level. These levels provide secondary and tertiary health care services. Personnel at these levels also promote development programs which span either the provincial regional or national area in which they work. The higher the level the more qualified the personnel and the more sophisticated the medical treatment; however at each level the health personnel must be competent to perform their assigned tasks.