ABSTRACT
According to the Declaration of Alma Ata, primary health care is essential health care made universally accessible to individuals and families in the community by means acceptable to them, and at a cost which the community and the country can afford. Primary care is the medical part of primary health care. It is not limited to a specific age group or sex, nor to diseases of specific organs. General practice and family medicine are terms which are often used interchangeably. The family doctor has a unique body of knowledge, skills and attitudes, which are summed up in the definition. The family doctor is committed to the person rather than to a particular disease. Health promotion and disease prevention medicine are becoming increasingly important components of general/family practice, and attention is frequently drawn to therapeutic success. Health education aims to improve patient perceptions, expectations and demand.
