A thousand points of light? : Moving forward on primary health care

Recognizing the need to create a community of understanding across Canada on the nature of and prospects for PHC, Manitoba Health approached the PHCTF with the idea of a major conference. [...] It forms an integral part both of the country’s health system, of which it is the central function and main focus, and of the overall social and economic development of the community. [...] It is the first level of contact of individuals, the family and community with the national health system bringing health care as close as possible to where people live and work, and constitutes the first element of a continuing health care process.” This formulation is both straightforward and extraordinarily ambitious. [...] In the last twenty-five years, research has iden- tified the importance of the non-medical determinants of health and shifted some of the focus from individuals to populations and communities. [...] As a result of such initiatives, it is expected that fundamental and sustainable change to the organization, funding and delivery of primary health care services will result in improved access, accountability and integration of services.” 11 The Fund supported many of the projects presented at the conference and was the major funder of the conference itself.