Many countries of the world are following the leadership of the World Health Organization (WHO) in attempting to develop a strong infrastructure of primary care within their health services system. Inexorable pressures towards increasing specialization, increasing deployment of machine-intensive technology, and disease orientation detract from a focus on primary care. Is there evidence that strong primary care improves effectiveness and efficiency of health services interventions?

Equity – the absence of systematic and potentially remediable inequalities in health across populations and across population subgroups – is also a worldwide concern, recognized by the WHO and many countries.