Bridging the Primary Health Care Theory/Practice Gap

Although some progress has been made by a few Canadian Universities when it comes to building global health and development into nursing curriculum, there is a long way still to go before all Canadian nursing students have the opportunity to explore nursing from a global perspective.

Most nursing students are exposed to the principles of primary health care, but how prepared are they to take these principles and put them into practice? Bridging the primary health care theory/practice gap can be accomplished through the development of global learning partnerships. Such partnerships allow nursing students to become immersed within a different culture where they can learn about other health care systems and effective and efficient approaches to health improvement and community development.

After spending 6 weeks at the Comprehensive Rural Health Project in Jamkhed, I have learned more about designing and implementing a comprehensive primary health care project than I could ever have learned in a university classroom. What a privilege it has been to share a cup of tea and hear the stories of local villagers intimately involved with this project. Having the opportunity to see how the principles of primary health care have been put into practice to improve the health and living conditions of individuals, families and entire communities, has been an invaluable learning experience.

In 1992, the Jamkhed Institute for Community-Based Health and Development was established as part of the Comprehensive Rural Health Project (CRHP) to train local, national and international students and leaders about the Jamkhed Model of primary health care.

CRHP invites students, faculty, and staff in such disciplines as public health, medicine, nursing, allied health, and development, to come to Jamkhed to take part in a one or two month training course, an elective, internship, or fellowship, or to work on a research project. Internships are also available in North America through Jamkhed International – North America (JINA).

To date, over 2,000 people from 100 countries and 27,000 people from India have been trained at the Jamkhed Institute, including government and non-governmental workers, community members, students, project managers, clinicians, and policy makers.

For more information about CRHP or training and research opportunities visit: www.jamkhed.org

If you would like to contact me directly, I can be reached at lmantini@hotmail.com