Western Pacific Regional Strategy for Health Systems Based on
the Values of Primary Health Care Health systems do better at
attaining a high standard of care if they are underpinned by
core values such as equity, social justice, universality,
people-centredness and community protection. Primary health care
is closely related to but not synonymous with primary care. A
strong primary care system is the foundation for a health system
based on primary health care values, but secondary and tertiary
services that connect to the primary care system are also vital.
A whole-of-system approach based on the values of primary health
care is proposed as the most effective and sustainable way of
strengthening health systems.