Alma-Ata

The first International Conference on Primary Health Care in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan, an event of major historical significance, occurred in 1978. Convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Alma-Ata drew representatives from 134 countries, 67 international organizations and many nongovernmental organizations.

The Final Declaration Contained in 10 Principal Points

The final Declaration of Alma-Ata contained 10 principal points, which are summarized below. The full text of the document can be viewed here.

  1. Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and is a fundamental human right. Attaining the highest possible level of health is a worldwide social goal that requires the action of many sectors.
  2. The existing gross inequality in people's health status is unacceptable and is of common concern to all countries and people.
  3. Economic and social development is essential to attaining health for all, and health is essential to sustained development and world peace.
  4. People have the right and duty to participate in planning and implementing health care.
  5. A main goal of governments and the international community should be the attainment by all peoples by the year 2000 of a level of health that will permit them to lead a socially and economically productive life. Primary health care is the key to attaining this goal.
  6. Primary health care is based on practical, scientifically sound and socially acceptable methods and technology made universally accessible through people's full participation and at a cost that the community and country can afford. It is the central function of the health system and its first level of contact, bringing health care as close as possible to where people live and work.
  7. Primary health care evolves from a country's own conditions and addresses the main health problems in the community. It should lead to progressive improvement of health care for all while giving priority to those most in need.
  8. Governments should formulate policies and plans of action to make primary health care part of a comprehensive national health system, in coordination with other sectors. This requires political will to mobilize domestic and external resources.
  9. The attainment of health in any one country directly concerns and benefits every other country. All countries should cooperate in the development and operation of primary health care throughout the world.
  10. An acceptable level of health for all people by 2000 can be attained through better use of the world's resources, much of which is spent on military conflict.

"The International Conference on Primary Health Care calls for urgent and effective national and international action to develop and implement primary health care throughout the world and particularly in developing countries in a spirit of technical cooperation and in keeping with a New International Economic Order. It urges governments, WHO and UNICEF, and other international organizations, as well as multilateral and bilateral agencies, nongovernmental organizations, funding agencies, all health workers and the whole world community…to collaborate in introducing, developing and maintaining primary health care in accordance with the spirit and content of this Declaration."