Africa

Roles of social workers and community health extension workers in enhancing access to maternal and child health services: reflection on a Nigerian intervention

This study found that social workers and Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs) played an important role in encouraging pregnant women and other community members to use maternal and child health services, including antenatal care, safe delivery, and postnatal care. Although their work helped improve access to these services, social workers felt their contributions were … [Read more...] about Roles of social workers and community health extension workers in enhancing access to maternal and child health services: reflection on a Nigerian intervention

This study explored how healthcare professionals in Namibia view working with traditional birth attendants (TBAs). The participants believed that TBAs are trusted members of their communities and could support the health system by encouraging pregnant women to attend antenatal care, promoting healthy practices, and helping with emergency births in remote areas when needed. The … [Read more...] about Perceptions of healthcare professionals on collaborating with traditional birth attendants in reproductive health promotion in Northern Namibia

This study tested whether trained community health workers, supported by a tablet-based decision tool, could help manage type 2 diabetes in rural Lesotho. Compared with the usual clinic-based care, patients supported by community health workers were more likely to stay engaged in their treatment and showed slightly better control of their blood sugar levels, without increasing … [Read more...] about Community health worker-led versus facility-based type 2 diabetes care in rural Lesotho: a cluster-randomized trial within the ComBaCaL cohort study

This study examined whether community health workers could reduce malaria by visiting every household twice a month to identify and treat people with malaria symptoms. After three years in rural Mali, the researchers found that this approach did not reduce malaria compared with the usual system, where people visited community health workers at fixed locations. One reason was … [Read more...] about Impact of proactive community case management of malaria on malaria prevalence in Bankass, Mali: a cluster-randomised controlled trial

This study in the Kousseri health district, Cameroon, looked at whether working with traditional birth attendants and community health workers could improve childhood vaccination. After the intervention, more children received key vaccines, and almost all children who had missed vaccines were referred for immunization. Most outreach was done through home visits and community … [Read more...] about Involvement of Traditional Birth Attendants and Community Health Workers in Improving Immunization Coverage in Kousseri Health District, Cameroon: a Mixed Methods Study