Lesotho reviews Primary Health Care Strategy, Community Health Worker policy and Ministry of Health supervision policy
The Ministry of Health conducted a two day consultative meeting to review three documents that are aimed at revitalizing Primary Health Care from the 05th to 06th December 2012.The documents include the Primary Health Care Strategy, Community Health Worker policy and Ministry of Health supervision policy. The Director General of Health Services, Dr. Moteetee in the Ministry of Health opened the workshop. State functionaries, UN agencies, other development partners, and health implementing partners attended this consultative meeting.
Delivering the key note address, Dr. Moteetee said, “The Ministry of Health is charged with the mandate of overseeing provision of health care in Lesotho and coordination of partners who have the common and similar focus for health is the fundamental right and attainment of the highest possible level, is a most important worldwide social goal whose realization requires the action of many other social and economic sectors in addition to the health sector.”
She indicated that following the Alma Ata Declaration, PHC was adopted in Lesotho. The strategy brought reforms that yielded positive results to health indicators, however HIV and AIDS and other factors caused a decline in PHC implementation, resulting in erosion of some of the gains experienced as a result thereof.
Dr. Moteetee further explained that PHC revitalization strategy is written as a guide to operations that will ensure that all Basotho, regardless of geographic location benefit from the health services. The participants drawn from different partners/stakeholders were divided into three working groups to review and identify gaps and make some valuable contributions to build up these three PHC documents. Each group presented its work and general recommendations were made to strengthen the documents. The revised documents are due for finalization in the first quarter of 2013.
