Primary Health Care (PHC) Forum:

Towards Health Equity and Resilient Communities

In the aftermath of the Alma Ata Declaration in 1978, global recognition of primary health care's (PHC) pivotal role in bolstering health systems has significantly grown. The reformative shift towards PHC is deemed critical, given its capacity to mitigate emerging burdens on our health systems. Numerous systematic investigations have underpinned the merits of a robust PHC in amplifying public health, enhancing health system's efficiency, and counteracting inequalities in access to health care. This evidence underscores the positive ripple effects of substantial investment and commitment towards PHC on diverse public health development outcomes.

Regrettably, numerous nations have grappled with setting strong, directional policies and unyielding commitments for PHC, often facing extended trajectories to eventual success. Delivery of quality services frequently falters, despite accumulating evidence over decades asserting PHC's preeminence in global health contexts. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted our collective failure to establish a health system fortified by robust PHC fundamentals.

Acknowledging each nation's strengths and best practices to fortify health system resilience, the Center for Indonesia's Strategic Development Initiatives (CISDI) is committed to involving global development actors in securing longer-term goals and addressing the needs of all nations. This engagement aims to redefine community resilience through a PHC transformation in the Global South and involves financing and collaborating with local civil society organisations (CSOs). Numerous contributions from Global South partners should be emphasized as crucial elements in PHC's redesign.

The forthcoming PHC Forum in November 2023 will act as a conduit to project and intensify governmental and key stakeholders' commitment towards inclusivity and sustainability. Following the five-year mark since the Astana Declaration, this forum provides an opportunity to review plans, reassess lessons learned, and set a precedent for the importance of fresh collective approaches to forthcoming PHC transformation.