Which statement best describes the core goal of the Alma-Ata Declaration for primary health care?

• A. Achieve Essential Health Care for All by Ensuring Equity in Access, Community Participation, Prevention and Treatment, Appropriate Technology, and Intersectoral Action.
• B. Achieve Universal Health Coverage Through Private Insurance Schemes
• C. Focus on Hospital-Based Curative Services
• D. Emphasize Disease-Specific Programs Only

Answer: (A)

The main idea being tested is understanding that the Alma-Ata Declaration defined primary health care as the universal path to Health for All, built on a broad, community-based and equitable approach rather than just medical treatment in hospitals or disease-specific programs. The best answer explicitly describes achieving essential health care for all with equity in access, community participation, prevention and treatment, appropriate technology, and intersectoral action, which together embody the declaration’s comprehensive framework. This reflects the emphasis on universal access, empowerment of communities, integrating prevention with treatment, using suitable technologies, and coordinating across sectors to address social determinants of health. The other options miss these core elements: relying on private insurance shifts the focus to financing rather than primary health care; concentrating on hospital-based curative services narrows the scope; and disease-specific programs ignore the integrated, multi-sectoral approach championed by Alma-Ata.