Use of Primary Healthcare Facilities for Care and Support of Chronic Diseases: Hypertension

Abstract

Hospitalisation of chronic diseases can be costly and time-consuming to patients with chronic diseases, and success of management of chronic diseases is in the primary care. This chapter gives a detailed description of primary health and its role in the management of chronic diseases. Hypertension as a chronic disease of interest and its management in the primary healthcare (PHC) context are also to be discussed in detail. However, to give this chapter clarity, a brief description of the country Lesotho will be given. The summary of the country will highlight major barriers to health care which mainly include poverty, difficult topography with no or poor infrastructure which hinder access to primary health care. Situational analysis is made with regard to current practice. The potential role of a pharmacist in the care and treatment of hypertension is explored. Best practices, need for policy change, guidelines and implementation plans will be highlighted. The aim of the chapter is to evaluate how chronic diseases are managed at the primary health care. The objectives include: a) to explore primary health care concept, b) to critically evaluate PHC concept in an African country and c) to describe human resource needs to meet the demands of PHC chronic diseases management.