Dominican Republic

Navigating double burden Community health workers in rural Dominican Republic living and working through the epidemiologic transition

In rural Dominican Republic, community health workers (CHWs) are dealing with both infectious diseases and rising non-communicable diseases at the same time. In interviews, CHWs said they see themselves as leaders improving community health, but their work has become harder. Their roles have grown, yet they face low pay, heavy workloads, and added pressure due to gender … [Read more...] about Navigating double burden Community health workers in rural Dominican Republic living and working through the epidemiologic transition

This study looked at how community health workers (CHWs) helped improve malaria detection in the Dominican Republic. Normally, regular health data isn't enough to show if malaria has stopped spreading, especially when cases are low. By adding CHW data to the system, more areas could confidently be shown to be free of malaria, and for longer periods. The study found that CHW … [Read more...] about Incorporating Community Case Management in Risk-Based Surveillance for Malaria Elimination in the Dominican Republic

This study assessed how community health workers (CHWs) improved malaria detection in the Dominican Republic. Using a statistical method (Freedom from Infection, FFI), researchers combined routine health data with CHW data from 33 facilities (2018–2022). Without CHW data, only 52% of facilities could confirm being malaria-free for about 13 months. Adding CHW data increased this … [Read more...] about Incorporating Community Case Management in Risk-Based Surveillance for Malaria Elimination in the Dominican Republic

Community health workers (CHWs) in the Dominican Republic played a key role in reducing malaria cases in urban areas of Greater Santo Domingo. From 2019 to 2022, malaria cases dropped from 1,243 to just 6. CHWs identified and treated cases faster than health facilities, with most cases found through proactive household visits. Although COVID-19 disrupted their work, the network … [Read more...] about The role of a structured community health worker network in achieving malaria elimination goals in the Dominican Republic: An impact evaluation amid COVID-19 disruptions

This study evaluated the role of community health workers (CHWs) in malaria elimination in Greater Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, from 2019 to 2022. The CHW network played a crucial role in detecting and treating malaria cases, contributing significantly to a drop in reported cases from 1,243 in 2019 to just 5 in 2023. CHWs diagnosed and treated a large portion of cases, … [Read more...] about The role of a structured community health worker network in achieving malaria elimination goals in the Dominican Republic