INTEGRATED DISTRICT HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS-A REVIEW

Abstract

Integration has been defined in functional terms as aseries of operations concerned in essence with thebringing together of otherwise independentadministrative structures, functions and mentalattitudes in such a way as to combine these into awhole.However, the expression “integrated health services”has also been defined in organizational terms as thoseservices necessary for the health protection of peopleresiding in a given area and provided under a singleadministrative unit, or under several agencies, withproper provision for their coordination.'Integrated care is an approach whereby health servicesfor a defined population, are financed and deliveredthrough an integrated system, to ensure access, equityand quality of care, in a cost effective way, which ismodified by patients, professional and communityvalues.3A district health system is the vehicle for providingquality primary health care to everyone in a definedgeographical area. In this type of health care,individual’s communities and the health providers,participate together in improving their own health.Five important reasons for the introduction of such asystem are: