The basic health care system in Botswana: A study of the distribution and cost in the period 1973–1979

Since 1973 Botswana has developed its basic health service with an extensive network of clinics and health posts staffed with nurses, health assistants and Family Welfare Educators (11 weeks training in preventive medicine). In 1977 it was estimated that 80% of the population lived within 15 km of e...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Social science & medicine (1982) 1984, Vol.19 (8), p.783-792
Main Authors: Høgh, Birthe, Petersen, Eskild
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Air. Soil. Water. Waste. Feeding
Biological and medical sciences
Botswana
Child
Child, Preschool
Community Health Centers - organization & administration
Community Health Workers
Delivery of Health Care - organization & administration
Economics
Environment. Living conditions
Female
Health Expenditures
Health Planning
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Primary Health Care - economics
Primary Health Care - organization & administration
Public health. Hygiene
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
Social Conditions
Tropical medicine
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Since 1973 Botswana has developed its basic health service with an extensive network of clinics and health posts staffed with nurses, health assistants and Family Welfare Educators (11 weeks training in preventive medicine). In 1977 it was estimated that 80% of the population lived within 15 km of either a health post or a clinic. In the study period the annual number of new registered outpatient diagnosis per inhabitant increased from 0.65 to 1.50, but even after the heavy investment in the rural areas the annual number of visits per rural inhabitant, was in 1979, 0.8 compared to 2.8 in the urban areas. In 1979 the per capita health expenditure was US$18.7, of which the basic health service accounted for US$8.8. The relationship between Botswana's basic health service and a primary health care system as described in the Declaration of Alma Ata is discussed.
ISSN:0277-9536
1873-5347
DOI:10.1016/0277-9536(84)90395-2