The Reform of Primary Health Care / PHC in Algeria : A First Step Towards a More Equitable and Efficient Health System

Abstract

Primary care in the national health care service in Algeria plays an important role: the execution of the National Immunization Schedule for infants, the care of mother and child, the monitoring of chronically ill patients, etc. However, offering modern primary health care to cover the real health needs of the population requires responsible and courageous self-criticism, either by health officials or by health economists. This is a descriptive and analytical study that highlights the reality of primary health care in the Algerian health system, which aims to make a constructive critique in relation to the pillars and principles of modern and effective primary health care. We have arrived that the sine qua none conditions must be realized in order to boost the role of primary health care in Algeria, among them: organizational non-accessibility, medium or poor quality care, non-availability of resources early detection of some pathologies… are recurring problems which push the care-seeker to desert primary health care structures, as well as non-compliance with the organization of care.