Role of a primary healthcare approach in COVID-19 pandemic response in the eastern Mediterranean region: multicountry case study synthesis.

Introduction: Primary healthcare (PHC) can play a critical role in disease preparedness and response. The PHC approach was not always considered in the COVID-19 response in the eastern Mediterranean region (EMR). This article assesses the extent to which a PHC approach was deployed in the pandemic response and identifies barriers, enablers and lessons learnt for strengthening PHC for disease preparedness and response in EMR.

Take home messages from the implementation of the primary health care measurement and improvement (PHCMI) initiative in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR).

Aim: To summarize the findings from the PHC Measurement and Improvement (PHCMI) initiative in the World Health Organization WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) and highlight key lessons to build PHC-oriented health systems.

Background: To support countries in enhancing their commitment to the primary health care (PHC) approach, the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO) established the PHCMI initiative in 2019 to evaluate PHC performance and identify priorities for improvement.

Methods: Building on the experience of the global PHC Performance Initiative (PHCPI), PHCMI updated the master indicator list through iterative processes and reflecting country priorities.

Rapid methods for identifying barriers and solutions to improve access to community health services: a scoping review.

Background: The advancement of universal health coverage (UHC) is largely based on identifying and addressing barriers to accessing community health services. Traditional qualitative research approaches provide excellent insights but have unfeasibly high resource requirements for most care providers.

Aim: To identify, categorise, and evaluate methods that have been used to identify barriers to and/or solutions for improving access to community-based health services, grounded in engagement with affected communities, excluding approaches that take >14 days.

Rapid methods for identifying barriers and solutions to improve access to community health services: a scoping review protocol.

Objectives: Low attendance rates for community health services reflect important barriers that prevent people from receiving the care they need. Services and health systems that seek to advance Universal Health Coverage need to understand and act on these factors. Formal qualitative research is the best way to elicit barriers and identify potential solutions, however traditional approaches take months to complete and can be very expensive.