Education for primary health care

Postrevolutionary Nicaragua has developed a new health system in which primary health care is a central component. Great progress has been made in correcting the poor health conditions that existed prior to the revolution. As part of an interdisciplinary health team that emphasizes prevention and community service, physicians in the new system play a different role than they did previously. Training for health workers of all types has been expanded. However, scarce teaching and curricular resources have restrained progress in this area. The U.S. based Committee for Health Rights in Central America (CHRICA) has collaborated with the Nicaraguan Ministry of Health to organize two Colloquia on Health in Nicaragua in the past two years. These Colloquia brought together North American participants who provided current medical training and Nicaraguan participants who provided information about the new health system. The Colloquia, whose participants were eligible to receive CME credit from the UCSF School of Medicine, have led to continuing educational exchanges between health care personnel in the two countries.