Computers in Primary Health Care

The primary health care concept holds the key to make “Health for All by the year 2000 AD” a reality and not remain just a slogan. If an effective health care service is to be provided to the larger population mass living in the rural areas of the developing countries. Then the primary health care delivery must be strengthened. The information infrastructure strengthened through computer implementation would support the care providers, as for example in monitoring the target population to follow-up the drop-outs from the immunisation programme. The administrators would receive accurate reports and have a factual base to study the outcomes of the interventions. In the preparatory phase to implement a computer-based system to support the Mother and Child Health Programme, a base line study was started, and a cohort group for immunisation followed. A dropout rate of 72% was seen in the immunisation programme and not a single pregnant lady had till then received any antenatal care. A computer-based system will make the programme delivery effective through follow-up and monitoring, thus introduce quality assurance in the care.