The World Health Organization has released a new report, Compassion and primary health care , which explores the vital role compassion plays in primary health care (PHC). The document synthesizes findings from a five-year exploration.
Compassion – characterized by awareness, empathy and action – is identified as a transformative force for primary health care, driving quality care and health system transformation. The document connects compassion to the WHO-UNICEF Operational Framework for Primary Health Care, describing its relevance across both strategic and operational levers. Drawing from insights gathered through twelve Global Health Compassion Rounds, it highlights the relationship between compassion and various health-care themes.
This foundational resource provides actionable insights for health leaders and practitioners on how to harness compassion to improve population health. The report argues that compassion is not only essential to the core of primary health care but also serves as a catalyst for systemic change. It outlines three strategic approaches to ensure compassion remains embedded at the heart of PHC efforts.
The document underscores that compassion arises from the universal experience of shared humanity. The release of this document is particularly timely, coinciding with the release of a learning module that reinforces the importance of leading with compassion as part of a new Global Capacity Building Course on Strengthening Primary Health Care Leadership delivered through the WHO Academy.
