Resumo

ROJAS OCHOA, Francisco. Orígenes del movimiento de atención primaria de salud en Cuba. Rev Cubana Med Gen Integr [online]. 2003, vol.19, n.1, pp. 0-0. ISSN 1561-3038.

A search into the history of the health services in Cuba that might be qualified as primary care services would reveal some examples in the past centuries; however, it was not until the 1960´s decade that there emerged a movement that created and developed a subsystem of the National Health Care System with nationwide scope, clearly defined functions and structures, and allocated resources for its sustainability. This subsystem reached its maturity with remarkable efficiency and efficacy in the last decade of the past century. This communication presents the origin, the principles and the most important instances of the development of this subsystem in the last 40 years as well as its present scope and future possibilities.

Palavras-chave : PRIMARY HEALTH CARE [history]; PHYSICIANS, FAMILY [history]; PREVENTIVE MEDICINE; SOCIAL MEDICINE; COMMUNITY MEDICINE.