Supporting strong PHC during the pandemic
As COVID-19 strains our health systems, primary health care is a key part of pandemic preparedness and response and is the foundation of recovery.
A Note from the Executive Director
The world is changing before our eyes. Issues of testing, public use of masks, PPE, intensive care unit (ICU) beds and ventilators, and concerns of overwhelmed hospitals and “flattening the curve” through physical distancing are front-and-center in the global media. Countries that are only beginning to face the pandemic are trying to determine what immediate decisions and reallocations of resources they need to make.
Amidst all of this, we must work to maintain the momentum from Astana, and ensure that the clear global and national commitments made to PHC for UHC are not left behind as the crisis consumes us. It is natural to focus on pandemic surveillance, hospital-based care, and ventilators – as well as vaccines and therapeutics – in this moment. But while hospitals and ICUs may be a critical last line of defense for individuals, they are not the primary tools needed to prevent or fight pandemics on a population-wide basis. That is why strong PHC is as necessary as ever. PHCPI is committed to supporting countries to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and stay the course on improving primary health care to achieve Universal Health Coverage.
Sincerely,
Beth
PHC Advocacy & Engagement COVID-19 Resources
Primary Sources Weekly Blog
Voices of practitioners and others on the front lines of PHC who are working tirelessly to keep this pandemic at bay and to continue to deliver essential health care
What We're Reading PHCPI Newsletter
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PHCPI Community of Practice Community
Share experiences, stories, tools, approaches and resources via the digital community of practice.
PHC Messaging Materials Toolkit
Foundational messages about how and why stakeholders can – and must – center PHC as a key component of the COVID-19 response.
