Integration of AIDS program activities into national health systems. NLM AIDSLINE Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1994. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

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Integration of AIDS program activities into national health systems.

AIDS. 1991;5 Suppl 1:S193-6. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/94161909
Matomora MK; Lamboray JL; Laing R; African Medical and Research Foundation, Nairobi, Kenya.

Abstract: In this paper we have defined integration as being the health unit team acceptance of responsibility for all aspects of care at the health service/community interface level. The health unit functions within a system whose elements (hospitals, laboratory, pharmacy, etc.) function in complementarity with those of the FLHS. Vertical approaches are often adopted because of weaknesses in some elements of the NHS, thereby further undermining such an NHS. The development of innovative community-based approaches in some areas and countries has resulted from this type of situation. However, isolated from the NHS, such approaches cannot be expected to be sustainable or to have long-term impact. Integration is the best choice of approach; it offers a chance to influence the course of the AIDS epidemic and the response of health systems in each country. The basic structure of the NHS and the characteristics of a FLHS are analyzed. The challenge to AIDS programs is to define more exactly objectives and activities at the operational, interface levels. Based on this analysis, planning of operations should be delegated to the district. Weakness of some elements and aspects of the NHS which are relevant to AIDS control program implementation can be overcome, not by organizing the program vertically and independently from the NHS, but rather by sharing resources to strengthen the weak elements. Integration may be more difficult in the early stages of implementation, but in the long term it offers sustainable development of AIDS prevention and control activities.
Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/EPIDEMIOLOGY/*PREVENTION & CONTROL Africa/EPIDEMIOLOGY Human *National Health Programs JOURNAL ARTICLE REVIEW REVIEW, TUTORIALKWDacquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome/epidemiology/KWDprevention&controlafrica/epidemiologyhumanKWDnationalhealthprogramsjournalarticlereviewreview,tutorial
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M9460893

Copyright © 1994 - National Library of Medicine. Reproduced under license with the National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD.

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