ACHIEVING HEALTH FOR ALL

How did seven low and middle income countries inspired by the landmark Alma Ata Declaration dramatically improve citizen health by focusing on primary health care The Alma Ata Declaration of 1978 marked a potential turning point in global health signaling a commitment to primary health care that could have improved the safety of air food water roads homes and workplaces in all 180 countries that signed it Unfortunately progress in many countries stalled in the 1980s The declaration was however embraced by a number of countries where its implementation led to substantial improvement in citizen health Achieving Health for All reveals how inspired by Alma Ata the governments of seven countries executed comprehensive primary health care systems deploying new cadres of community based health workers to bring relevant services to ordinary households Drawing on a set of narrative case studies from Bangladesh Indonesia Ethiopia Nepal Ghana Sri Lanka and Vietnam the book explains how a primary health care focus succeeded in improving population health The book also conclusively demonstrates that comprehensive multisector community controlled and population level primary health care is a viable strategy that against the odds has led to sustainable