Global Health and Primary Care: Building Capacity

Abstract

Primary health care and global health are linked for four reasons. Firstly, the principles of good primary health care are the same the world over. Secondly, primary health care is particularly appropriate for meeting the challenges of a ‘globalized’ society. Thirdly, in our globalized world, the needs of migrants often form a significant component of primary care workload. Finally, capacity building for primary health care in low- and middle-income countries is a moral imperative and one of the most cost-effective ways of improving global health outcomes. This article will consider these issues in turn.