Why Health for All by 2000 Policy (HFA 2000) failed to achieve its goals?

Abstract

In 1978, in its thirty-second session held at Alma-Ata, USSR, World Health Assembly introduced “Health for All by year 2000”; one of the major global policy initiatives in a session jointly organized by UNICEF and WHO. To constitute a resolution and to formulate national plans, collective efforts were kept under consideration. Hence, the World Health Assembly asked all member countries of WHO to act individually for attaining the goal of health for all by year 2000, and to formulate regional and global strategies, with the help of guiding principles from the executive board of WHO through Primary Health Care. The declaration was signed by the representatives of 134 countries.

The “Health for All by the year 2000” policy was based on constitution of WHO, according to which, the organization’s objective is to attain highest level of health possible for all people.² Health for all by the year 2000 didn’t mean that till the end of the stipulated time period there would be no sick person or disable. It also didn’t mean that by the year 2000 everybody would be provided medical care by a doctor or a nurse for all their ailments. In fact that policy meant that all people should have such health which enables them to work productively and to participate actively in social life. To achieve this objective, it was specified that WHO will help the member states to strengthen, improve, expand their policies regarding health, and would monitor the progress through the use of appropriate indicators. It was asked from the member states that they would incorporate into that policy people from all walks of life.