| Abstract: | ![]()
ABSTRACT: In recent years, primary health care services have expanded rapidly in rural Latin America. However, these services are characterized in many countries of the region by inefficiency and low quality. Research on rural health services in the Dominican Republic identifies the compulsory year of rural service required of graduating medical students (known as pasantia in some countries and medicatura rural in others) as one of the main causes for these problems. Conflicting roles assigned to rural health promoters by the ministry of health and by rural residents are another contributing factor. The manner in which these characteristics of the rural health system reduce the productivity of health resources and the quality of care is discussed. The authors suggest that the organization of a rural health corps could resolve the main flaws inherent in the use of the pasantia and strengthen the work of the promoters. |
