AMELIORATING ACCESS TO PRIMARY HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN CAMEROON

Introduction: In developing countries access to Primary Health Care services is still yet to be optimal. A considerate part of the population still finds it very difficult to come across the quality health care services they need. Here we try to bring out the various internal and external factors that lead to the above problem and how these factors can be addressed thus, ameliorating access to quality health care services especially in resource limited settings. Discussion: Cameroon like other developing countries also faces this problem of access to health care services. The causes range from poor production and recruitment planning of health personnel, unequal geographical distribution of health workers, poor working conditions, affordability of services and their subsequent utilization. These factors lead to the adoption of poor and illegal habits by the personnel and brain drain to developed countries as well as drifts towards self-medication and other illegal means of service appropriation by the population. Conclusion: The issue of ameliorating access to Primary Health Care services is complex thus should be handled in a very cautious way. There is need for political will and financial investment in the health sector so as to ensure availability of affordable healthcare services in terms of infrastructure and personnel. There by putting in place mechanisms to encourage utilization of these services, because every citizen has the right to good health.