The 1978 Alma-Ata declaration defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing.” The term “primary healthcare” refers to universally accessible essential healthcare. Primary health encompasses physical, psychological, and social aspects related to the state of health.

The Alma-Ata declaration states that every human being must be given access to primary healthcare, that the human right to healthcare is universal, and should be implemented equally on a worldwide level.

This is reflected in the eight “Millennium Development Goals” also, which were passed by 189 member states in September 2000 at the United Nations general assembly. The international community pledged to reduce poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, environmental damage, and discrimination based on sex. The timeframe to attain these goals was set for 2015.

Johanniter actively contributes to the above listed goals with healthcare projects in Asia and Africa. Johanniter is particularly committed to three millennium goals: lowering maternal and infant mortality, fighting HIV / AIDS, and reducing extreme poverty and hunger.

Johanniter focuses on the following:

• providing essential medicine
• treating illnesses and injuries, and supporting medical facilities with materials, medicine, and personnel (e. g. offer assistance to health stations and ambulances)
• preventing and fighting infectious diseases (malaria, HIV, tuberculosis)
• offering prenatal care, obstetrics, and paediatric medicine
• providing supplementary food for the malnourished and undernourished
• offering educational courses on health and hygiene
• providing sanitation facilities
• offering psychosocial support