Introduction and overview Wby a renewal of primary bealth care(PHC), and oby nore. more than ever? The immediate answer is the palpable demand for it from Member States-not just from bealth professionals, but from the political arena as weell Responding to the changing world Globalization is putting the social Growing expectations cohesion of many countries under stress, for better p mance and bealth systems, as key constituents From the packages of the past to the reforms of the future the arcbitecture of contempora Four sets of phc reforms socleties, are clearly not performing as Seizing opportunities GoelL as y could and as they shou ld People are increasingly impatient with the inability of bealth services to deliver levels of national coverage that meet stated demands and changing needs and with their failure to provide services in eays that correspond to their expectations. Few woould disagree that bealth systems need to respond better -and faster-to the challenges of a changing world. PhC can do thatIntroduction and Overview Why a renewal of primary health care (PHC), and why now, more than ever? The immediate answer is the palpable demand for it from Member States – not just from health professionals, but from the political arena as well. Globalization is putting the social cohesion of many countries under stress, and health systems, as key constituents of the architecture of contemporary societies, are clearly not performing as well as they could and as they should. People are increasingly impatient with the inability of health services to deliver levels of national coverage that meet stated demands and changing needs, and with their failure to provide services in ways that correspond to their expectations. Few would disagree that health systems need to respond better – and faster – to the challenges of a changing world. PHC can do that. Responding to the challenges of a changing world xii Growing expectations for better performance xiii From the packages of the past to the reforms of the future xiv Four sets of PHC reforms xvi Seizing opportunities xviii xi