COUNTRY BACKGROUND - Gross National Happiness Commission

Health Services
B. STRATEGIES FOR ACHIEVING OBJECTIVESB. STRATEGIES FOR ACHIEVING OBJECTIVES
13.28 The strategies by which the above objectives will be pursued are as follows:
· the integrated primary health care system which has been developed will be continued as opposed to
selective primary health care. This implies that the few vertical programmes that remain will also be
phased out.
· the improvement in health services will be achieved through manpower development, better utilization
of existing resources and strengthening of support services such as information systems, financial
management, supervision and supplies (drugs, equipment and other materials).
· rather than a large expansion in health infrastructure existing health facilities such as dispensaries,
Basic Health Units and hospitals will be upgraded.
· the outreach of health services will be expanded as far as possible with as limited manpower
expansion. The most cost effective means of delivery will be developed, with greater involvement of
other Departments through intersectoral collaboration, voluntary workers and members of the
communities.
· the Department will aim to keep its interventions to a minimum possible extent and encourage the
population to take responsibility for preventive health measures. To bring this about, health education
programmes will be continued. Fostering community involvement in health programmes and creating
institutional structures in the community through which health programmes can be sustained will be
extremely important.
· the delivery of health services will be aimed at promoting and protecting the health of specific
population sub-groups particularly women of child bearing age, children and the elderly.
· those aspects of traditional medicine which are complementary to formal health care will be integrated
into the system.
· medical care will be free during the 7FYP, but various modalities of cost recovery will be explored.
8