Primary Health Care Under One Roof (PHCUOR) is a policy to reduce fragmentation in the delivery of Primary Health Care (PHC) services which involves the integration of all PHC services under one authority. Fragmentation has been identified as the most significant problem facing PHC services, and significantly affects utilisation rates and health indices.
Working with National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) in Nigeria, Health Partners International, and partners on the PRRINN-MNCH programme, launched the PHCUOR initiative. The policy was approved by the National Council of Health in 2011 and has since been implemented in at least 23 states in Nigeria.
Key elements of the Primary Health Care Under One Roof policy include:
- Integration of all PHC services delivered under one authority
- A single management body with adequate capacity to control services and resources, especially human and financial resources
- Decentralized authority, responsibility and accountability
- The three ones principle: one management, one plan and one monitoring and evaluation system
- An integrated and supportive supervisory system
- An effective referral system between and across the different levels of care
- Enabling legislation and regulations
These nine factsheets have been developed to summarise the steps to successful implementation of the components of Primary Health Care Under One Roof.