One of the main principles of PHC was community participation. However, the interpretation and practices of community participation are so diverse that it became different things to different people. The lessons from the understanding and application of the community participation concept are that health service is not enough as a rallying point for community participation, it is power laden, it is a process of change and context specific, and it is a slow process. It can be regarded as being an abused concept because of the cosmetic, simplistic and superficial impression it is given by its advocates. But it is well used if it empowers communities to analyse, take decisions, and gain confidence and selfesteem. To release the concept from this moribund state may require a new paradigm.