THE PRIMARY HEALTH CARE PRINCIPLES

Inter-sectoral Collaboration

Inter-sectoral collaboration relates to the recognition that health extends beyond the healthcare sector and that the causes of ill health are interlinked. Current public health theory holds that there are two reasons for poor health: health risks and health determinants.

Health risks arise as a consequence of lifestyle and include factors such as food consumption and physical activity. The determinants of health include a range of factors, such as water and sanitation, education, the environment, and gender issues. These determinants lie beyond the influence of the traditional health sector, and therefore improvements in health requires activities in a number of sectors and a health system that has the ability to harmonize with the sectors lying beyond the traditional health sphere.

CNP/Kore Timoun realizes that malnutrition does not occur in a vacuum and that it is influenced by a variety of factors. We work with other sectors to address the root causes of malnutrition including poverty, lack of education, and the disempowerment of women.