| In Venezuela, 2 1.6 % of the total population lives in rural communities. The existing 500 rural health centres do not provide adequate health coverage particularly to those in communities of fewer than 500. In view of the difficulty in providing permanen of Public Health organized a programme of simplified medicine, whose core is the rural health post. This facility provides minimum services through auxiliary health workers who are permanently supervised and supported by a professional service. The theoretical and practical aspects of the auxiliary health worker's training are detailed. These include administrative and preventive functions. Auxiliary training is given by professional nurses, each of whom trains 12 students. Since 1962, 12 states have benefited from the programme and 651 auxiliaries have been trained. In 1972, there were 274 rural dispensaries serving 230 883 rural inhabitants, an average of 843 persons per auxiliary health worker. This programme of simplified medicine has succeeded in providing scattered rural communities with greater coverage, by offering minimum health care services in a permanent manner. |