Free Primary Health Care and National Programmes MCQs with Answers

• A. Equitable access
• B. Appropriate technology
• C. Intersectoral coordination
• D. Community participation

Explanation: Equitable access means that essential health services are available fairly to all population groups.

• A. Community participation
• B. Specialist referral
• C. Hospital-based treatment
• D. Vertical programme planning

Explanation: Community participation involves local people in identifying problems and planning solutions.

• A. Refer the child urgently after initial stabilization
• B. Schedule the child for a routine follow-up visit
• C. Provide health education about balanced nutrition
• D. Ask the family to return after completing home care

Explanation: Severe respiratory distress threatens breathing, so urgent stabilization and referral take priority.

• A. A health team works with the education department to reduce school diarrhoea
• B. A nurse records blood pressure during an outpatient visit
• C. A doctor prescribes antibiotics for a patient
• D. A vaccinator checks the vaccine carrier temperature

Explanation: Intersectoral coordination means health workers cooperate with other sectors to address health determinants.

• A. It is affordable, acceptable and supported by local skills
• B. It requires imported equipment and specialist engineers
• C. It is expensive but provides highly advanced treatment
• D. It is used only in tertiary care hospitals

Explanation: Appropriate technology is scientifically sound, affordable, acceptable and practical for local conditions.

• A. To keep vaccines potent until administration
• B. To prevent every injection site from becoming painful
• C. To replace the need for trained vaccinators
• D. To allow vaccines to be stored at any temperature

Explanation: The cold chain keeps vaccines within the recommended temperature range so their potency is preserved.

• A. Arrange sputum evaluation and link the person with TB services
• B. Give cough syrup and wait for symptoms to disappear
• C. Advise strict bed rest without diagnostic testing
• D. Start treatment using leftover antibiotics at home

Explanation: Persistent cough and weight loss require prompt evaluation through the tuberculosis control services, including appropriate testing and…

• A. Promoting insecticide-treated bed nets and reducing mosquito breeding sites
• B. Giving antibiotics to every person with a night-time fever
• C. Advising patients to avoid all dairy products
• D. Providing routine iron tablets to every adult

Explanation: Insecticide-treated nets and control of mosquito breeding reduce exposure to malaria vectors.

• A. Explain suitable methods and support the couple's informed choice
• B. Select the method that the nurse considers most effective
• C. Ask the husband to decide without discussing the woman’s views
• D. Recommend permanent contraception to every couple with two children

Explanation: Family planning counselling should provide accurate information, respect voluntary choice and support informed consent.

• A. Provide iron-rich foods and use supplements when prescribed
• B. Give tea with meals to improve iron absorption
• C. Restrict legumes because they contain too much protein
• D. Replace all complementary foods with fruit juice

Explanation: Iron-rich foods and prescribed iron supplementation help prevent or treat iron deficiency.

• A. Community participation in health planning
• B. Use of specialized hospital services
• C. Provision of curative care only
• D. Centralized control of local activities

Explanation: Community participation means local people take part in identifying needs, planning activities and evaluating results.

• A. Send the patient without written information
• B. Provide a referral note with findings and treatment given
• C. Ask the patient to explain the diagnosis at arrival
• D. Wait for the hospital to request the patient record

Explanation: A referral note communicates the history, examination findings, treatment and reason for referral to the receiving team.

• A. Restart the entire vaccination series
• B. Give only vitamin supplements at the next visit
• C. Review the record and provide due vaccines according to the schedule
• D. Wait until the child reaches the next age milestone

Explanation: A child who misses a vaccination should be assessed from the immunization record and given the vaccines due under the current schedule.

• A. Report the case as a suspected acute flaccid paralysis case
• B. Give antibiotics and close the surveillance record
• C. Wait for paralysis of both legs before reporting
• D. Refer only if the child develops a high fever

Explanation: Sudden acute flaccid paralysis in a child under 15 years is a polio surveillance signal and should be reported promptly for investigation…

• A. Stop treatment until the patient returns regularly
• B. Use directly observed treatment and trace missed visits
• C. Replace all medicines with a cough suppressant
• D. Tell the patient to continue treatment only when symptoms occur

Explanation: Directly observed treatment, adherence counselling and tracing missed visits help prevent treatment failure and drug resistance.

• A. Perform major abdominal surgery at home
• B. Provide health education and refer clients with danger signs
• C. Prescribe every medicine used in the referral hospital
• D. Replace the medical officer at a Rural Health Centre

Explanation: Lady Health Workers provide community health education, basic preventive and promotive services, support maternal and child health and…

• A. Arrange urgent referral after initial stabilization
• B. Schedule her for a routine antenatal visit
• C. Advise bed rest and review her next month
• D. Give nutrition advice before deciding on referral

Explanation: Heavy bleeding with faintness may indicate a life-threatening obstetric emergency, so circulation and urgent referral take priority.

• A. Measuring weight regularly and plotting it on a growth chart
• B. Giving antibiotics to every child at each visit
• C. Waiting for severe wasting before assessing nutrition
• D. Recording only the child's immunization history

Explanation: Regular weighing and plotting on a growth chart helps identify growth faltering before severe malnutrition develops.

• A. It limits health services to hospital treatment
• B. It addresses health determinants through coordinated sectors
• C. It removes the need for community health workers
• D. It allows one department to control all local services

Explanation: Intersectoral coordination joins health services with sectors that influence education, water, sanitation, food and livelihoods.

• A. Give the patient directions and end the consultation
• B. Stabilize the patient, communicate with the receiving facility and arrange transfer
• C. Ask the family to choose any facility without clinical advice
• D. Delay referral until the patient returns for a follow-up visit

Explanation: The nurse should provide immediate basic stabilization, communicate relevant clinical information and arrange timely transfer.