Jane Salvage reports on a World Health Organization report that will help to raise the profile of primary health care across the world

In a range of settings and in high-to low-income countries, nurses and midwives have adopted the principles and practised the elements of primary health care (PHC) with growing conviction and success. Since they provide up to 80 per cent of all PHC worldwide, they are well positioned to offer critically needed, innovative solutions to global health challenges (Hughes 2006) PHC is the cornerstone of an efficient and fair health system. Since the Declaration of Alma-Ata in 1978 (a landmark in the global development of PHC), there have been many calls to strengthen PHC and reorient health systems so they are led by this type of care. However, for many countries those dreams have not come true, as few can boast as comprehensive and effective a PHC service as that run by the NHS.