Primary healthcare as a child left behind — A snapshot from the ethical and medico-legal perspectives

Abstract

Primary healthcare (PHC) provides a less expensive and practical means, among others, for governments to tackle global healthcare challenges such as inequitable access to health. Despite its importance as per the endorsement of the Declaration of Alma-Ata in 1978 and the call to re-focus efforts on PHC in the Declaration of Astana of 2018, the provision of PHC in various territories remains insufficient. Turning the spotlight from the global context to its daily practice, PHC is no exception to other healthcare that it faces ethical and medico-legal risks. The authors of this chapter attempt to discuss PHC as “a child left behind” from a macro and international perspective, as well as to exemplify a few ethical and legal issues in the day-to-day practices of PHC from a micro and national angle.