The New Look in Health Education

Abstract

Text of a speech delivered at the Hobart Conference. Discusses the role that health education is expected to assume in contributing to the goal of health for all by the year 2000--the aim of the 1978 Alma-Ata Declaration. Its primary responsibility is to promote individual and social awareness leading to peoples involvement and self-reliance. Ways must be found to mobilize human resources and mechanisms found to foster responsibility for self and family care and ensure participation of the people in decision making at the national level. The author sees priorities in 5 areas. Concerning policies health education needs to develop new policies in harmony with the principles of primary health care and the strategy of health for all by the year 2000. Health education needs to facilitate the development of human resources with the skills to translate social goals into educational objectives. Health education needs to reflect on the educational technology most appropriate to promote individual and community involvement and self-reliance. Health education needs to strengthen its multisectoral approach and to increase coordination of efforts through appropriate technology. Finally health education must pay greater attention to monitoring and evaluation.