Primary Healthcare strategies and effectiveness

barefoot doctors are local people trained in basic first aid medical care. for example, providing families with advice on birth control, vaccinations and basic hygiene.
they can then refer people to local health care centres/hospitals if needed.
- individuals were chosen by each village to be trained to a basic level of healthcare and so were fully trusted by the community.
- however, there are too few health workers trained to supply all the rural communities.

ORT is a salt, sugar and water solution to tackle dehydration. this helps people suffering from diorrhoea.
- it is an easy, cheap and effective method and it can be administered by untrained staff.
- the WHO estimates that 1 million babies’ lives are saved each year because of this.

vaccination programmes have been set up for preventable diseases e.g. UNICEF set up polio, measles, and cholera vaccinations.
they are delivered to rural areas as it is more difficult to access healthcare here.
- vaccination programmes are estimated by the WHO to save between 2 and 3 million lives every year.

talks on health education are given in schools and groups put on plays and sing songs. for example, education on health issues such as HIV and importance of hand washing (songs for sanitation)
- this is suitable as some people are illiterate in developing countries.

play pumps international provide roundabouts which extract ground water.
- they are easy to operate and cost of maintenance is minimal.

charities such as water aid improve water and sanitation by installing pit latrines
- the number of people without access to improved drinking water has decreased.
- however, maintenance is required and sometimes local people do not have the skills.