Health and Beyond... Strategies for a Better India: Concept Paper on Primary Health Care in India

BACKGROUND: India is one of the fastest growing economies of the world, and is posed to overtake China in terms of being the most populous nation of the world. The very essential components of primary health care – promotion of food supply, proper nutrition, safe water and basic sanitation and provision for quality health information concerning the prevailing health problems – is largely ignored. Access to healthcare services, provision of essential medicines and scarcity of doctors are other bottlenecks in the primary health care scenario. Complete absence of evidence-based guidelines on clinical scenarios and treatment plans in the primary health care sector, together with overburdening of the secondary and tertiary care sectors, has substantially lowered the quality of care in the nation. AIM: To discuss a strategy for a better primary healthcare model. METHODS: This is a concept paper with an exploratory view of various problems and a suggested strategy to counter it. RESULTS: This concept paper suggests a triad of strategies (technology, accountability and ink-blot strategy) that can be adapted to various problems in the primary healthcare scenario. DISCUSSION: The concept paper is a preliminary document on a suggested model that needs to be worked out on a broader basis across all stakeholders with operational definitions, standards of procedure and protocols finalised.