PRIMARY HEALTH-CARE AND MEDICAL PLURALISM EXEMPLIFIED IN NEPAL - A PROPOSAL FOR MAXIMIZING HEALTH-CARE BENEFIT

Health Care (PHC) has been the thrust of most developing countries in an attempt to improve the overall health status of the general population. PHC, however, faces a number of problems. One of the most important, according to this paper, is due to the widespread presence and use of indigenous medicine. Several social scientists have stressed the incorporation of modern (PHC) and indigenous health care services, and a number of strategies have been suggested time to time. This paper argues that these strategies overlooked certain basic issues. It proposes a new approach that focuses on using limited health resources in developing countries for implementing intensive public health including health education measures, and using modern health services as a supplement to indigenous health care resources.