Integrated Health Care System: Meeting Global Health Care Needs in the 21st Century

Abstract

The Integrated Health Care System is presented as an
appropriate system capable of helping meet global health
care needs in a satisfactory manner. It is a system that
consciously targets and harnesses peoples’ links with biodiversity
for health reasons. It is an integrative and positive
tool blending health, economic, and biological and
cultural diversity conservation needs of people and their
area, all at the same time.

Results from a study of health care conducted from 1993
through 1997 at the ‘Clinique de Manongarivo’, a pilot rural
health center in northwest Madagascar practicing the
Integrated Health Care System approach, are used as evidence
of the viability of this system. In conclusion a call
is made for re-thinking and re-acting of health policies to
implement the system in other countries.