Primary Health Care

Services and Activities

PRCS develops its health services in line with WHO recommendations and based on key PHC principles. These services cover local needs in cooperation with other service providers, with a special focus on prevention, health promotion programs, encouraging community participation in the planning and implementation of various programs and providing curative health services through 53 centers in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, Syria and Lebanon.

PHC services include:

• Community-Based Development and Empowerment:

this community-based educational program is supporting effective women committees and aims at reaching local communities through health education, awareness campaigns and home visits, In order to reduce the deterioration health, psychological and social conditions for both women and children. The program is based on 75 Safe Motherhood Committees (SMHC) in 75 areas in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

• Reproductive health:

This program targets reproductive-age women (15-49) and aims at providing reproductive health services focusing on Antenatal care for pregnant women, post-partum follow-up and family planning. Services are provided by Well trained Female physicians

• Control and treatment of chronic disease (diabetes and high-blood pressure):

PHC seeks to reduce the number of people suffering from these diseases, with a special focus on prevention.

• Home visits

: targeting High risk pregnancies, newborns, elderly, chronic disease patients suffering from cardiovascular disease, diabetes and hypertension as well as persons with special needs. It also provides training (to the sick person’s family members) on self-care at home and offers relevant health education to enable families to care for the sick person and to provide him/her with psychological support.

• Emergency preparedness and response:

PHC Department provides its centers with equipment, tools, material, medicine and disposable supplies to be used in emergency cases. As well as with publications and educational material, in order to be ready to face unforeseen events or pandemics such as H1N1. The Department also operates mobile clinics, evening clinics and free medical days especially in areas lacking health services or isolated by the separation wall. It also operates Hotline services offering medical guidance and advice in times of emergency.

• School Health:

Health education is one of the main pillars of the school health program. The program, executed through PHC teams in cooperation with the Palestinian Ministry of Education. It focuses on health awareness- campaigns as well as community-based 1st Aid courses targeting students and teachers in areas where PHC centers operate.