Community participation and involvement: theoretical and empirical issues

In 1978, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), in their Alma Ata Declaration, declared a war against ill health and lack of access to and use of health services by advocating a joint effort among countries to bring health for all for the year 2000. Although such wars have been waged many times before, this time the declaration had a slightly different message, one paying respect to the people who are the target of that declaration. The message was to help people achieve their health potential within their abilities, values, and technologies by helping them help themselves. Other significant parts to this message included dealing with the use of local technology, the involvement of intersectorial cooperation, and the view of health as integral to development (WHO, 1978).