Place of the periodic medical check-up in basic health care in Tunisia.

The objective of primary health care is to reduce mortality and morbidity. This kind of care was very efficient in communicable diseases, malnutrition and maternal and neonatal diseases; however, their impact on non communicable diseases and mental disorders control is not obvious. In Tunisia, primary health care was introduced in the early 1980s; a lot of progress were notified in particular in health of mothers and children in particular, but only slightly in non communicable diseases control and mental health promotion. Therefore, a new approach would be strongly recommended to remedy this situation. The Medical Periodic Check-up (MPC) implemented in North America would have a positive impact in the prevention and management of non communicable diseases. What would be the place of this MPC in primary health care in Tunisia? The MPC has two main objectives: the prevention of specific diseases and health promotion. However, despite its efficiency and usefulness, the MPC could be costly, especially for countries with limited resources. Current evidence suggests that the most appropriate approach would be to take periodic preventive health visits tailored to the level of risk. The frequency of visits depends on the age, sex and state of health of the individual. In conclusion, there are strong arguments in favor of the introduction of MPC in primary health care in Tunisia, especially among adults in non communicable diseases control strategy. However, it's highly be recommended that the BMC should be oriented according to the risk levels in order to optimize resources. It is also important to educate and the public, especially women and young adults, to benefit from periodic medical and dental examinations.