Primary Health Care, an unfinished road in Colombia: Lessons learned from the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Introduction: In 2020, Colombia adopted different measures to mitigate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, social isolation measures and strengthening the provision of hospital services. However, the country did not contemplate actions to address other health problems, nor did it consider the relevance of Primary Health Care (PHC) to respond to the pandemic. Therefore, an investigation was done to investigate the offer and positioning of PHC among decision-makers to address the Covid-19 emergency during the first wave of the pandemic and the learning for the following ones.  

Methodology: From April to June 2020, a mixed exploratory descriptive study was conducted in two phases: (1) a survey of decision-makers, providers, and academics, and (2) a focus group of key informants.  

Results: The survey was answered by 227 participants, 41% academics, 34.8 % providers, and 17.6 % officials from local health directorates; 28.2% considered that PHC was adapted in the territories for different life cycle health programs, and between 80 and 98 % that PHC should be established in the territory for case surveillance, outpatient care, management of chronic patients, care of other programs and health education. Twelve key informants participated in the focus group, who concluded that the health authority should urgently promote the integration of PHC in the territories, and guarantee effective governance to achieve it; Likewise, they recommended intensifying health literacy and the empowerment of the population for the adoption of individual and collective measures.  

Conclusions: It is concluded that PHC was an opportunity to respond to the first wave of the pandemic, as well as to correct current problems and anticipate future problems. Therefore, PHC must become a state policy.