HEALTHCARE PRINCIPLES AND POLICIES - Essay Example

social target of governments and WHO on the coming decades should be (1) “the attainment by all citizens of the world by year 2000 of a level of health that will permit them to lead a socially and economically productive life,” for brevity called “Health fro All” (2) with the adoption of health a san integral part of socio-economic development by the united Nations in 1979 (3) health, while being an end in itself, has also become a major instrument of overall socio-economic development and the creation of a new of a new social order.

“Health” is one of those terms which most people find it difficult to define although they are confident of its meaning. Therefore, many definitions of health have been offered from time to time, including the following: But the widely accepted definition of health is that given by the World Health Organization (1948) in the preamble of its constitution, which is as follows: “Health is a state of complete physical mental and social well being and not merely an absence of disease or infirmity”.

In recent years, this statement has been amplified to include the ability to lead a socially and economically productive life. The WHO definition of health has been criticized as being too broad. Some argue that health can not be defined as a “state” at all but must be seen as a process of continuous adjustment to the changing demands of living and of the changing meaning meanings we give to life. It is a dynamic concept. It helps people like well, work well and enjoy themselves. The WHO definition of health is therefore considered by many as an idealistic goal than a realistic proposition.

In spite of all limitations, the concept of health as defined by WHO is broad and positive in its implications; it sets out the standard, the standard of positive health. It symbolizes the aspirations of people and represents an overall objective or goal towards which nations should strive. In recent years, we have acquired a new