Improving primary health care for women, children

In recent decades, considerable progress has been made in improving the health of women, children, and adolescents. However, these advancements have encountered significant challenges and obstacles. The unfinished agenda of preventable mortality among these vulnerable groups persists, while shifting epidemiological patterns demand increased attention to non-communicable diseases.

The critical periods of pregnancy and the first two decades of life offer a unique opportunity to foster healthy growth, mitigate health-related risks, and promote overall well-being throughout the lifespan.

Realising the demographic dividends of improved survival hinges on empowering women, children, and adolescents to thrive, thereby enhancing human capital and reducing disparities for current and future generations.

In the aftermath of the 2023 UN General Assembly, a high-level meeting dedicated to universal health coverage, member states are poised to recommit to achieving universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) has advocated for a paradigm shift towards primary health care as a foundational pillar of this endeavour.

This approach comprises three fundamental elements: integrated health services with a primary care focus, community engagement and empowerment, and multi-sectoral policies and actions that address the broader determinants of health.

Within this context, we illuminate the implications of implementing a transformative primary health care approach for the health and nutrition of women, children, and adolescents. This perspective is endorsed by the Strategic and Technical Advisory Group of Experts for maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health and nutrition; a body that provides counsel to the WHO Director-General.

Victor Okeke wrote from the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) Nigeria