Indigenous communities in Latin America often face challenges accessing Western healthcare, despite valuing traditional medicine. In Ecuador’s Amazon region, efforts have been made to integrate Indigenous traditional birth attendants (TBAs) into the Western healthcare system. This study explored this integration, highlighting that while initial skepticism existed, mutual … [Read more...] about Exploring the integration of Indigenous traditional birth attendants into the western healthcare system: A qualitative case study from the Amazon of Ecuador
Ecuador
Santiago Santi, Naporuna indigenous community health worker from the Amazonian region of Ecuador
Santiago Santi, a member of the Naporuna ethnic group in Ecuador's Amazon region, has been a volunteer Community Health Worker (CHW) for 30 years. He recently published his memoir, "I Know Where I Come From, I Don't Know Where I'm Going." Santiago co-founded the "Asociación de promotores de salud Naporunas Sandi Yura," now 30 years old and the largest CHW movement in Ecuador, … [Read more...] about Santiago Santi, Naporuna indigenous community health worker from the Amazonian region of Ecuador
Community Health Workers: what do international studies tell us?
The objective of this review was to understand the current literature on Community Health Worker (CHW) programs worldwide by identifying the following components: nomenclatures, practices, training, and working conditions. In highlighting the similarities and differences between programs, this review serves to better inform managers and decision-makers in regards to … [Read more...] about Community Health Workers: what do international studies tell us?
Examining the Intersection between Gender, Community Health Workers, and Vector Control Policies: A Text Mining Literature Review
In this systematic review, authors investigated how gender intersects with healthcare, especially when considering community health work and arboviral vector-borne disease. Researchers used machine learning techniques to analyze 2,812 articles in Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed. Overall, researchers found most included studies were conducted in the global south, as South … [Read more...] about Examining the Intersection between Gender, Community Health Workers, and Vector Control Policies: A Text Mining Literature Review
Application of primary healthcare principles in national community health worker programmes in low-income and middle-income countries: a scoping review
This systematic review sought to investigate how primary health care (PHC) principles in CHW programs impact health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries. Four PHC principles were included in the review: universal health care, community participation, intersectoral coordination, and appropriateness of services. Authors screened 281 papers, and included 26 for review. … [Read more...] about Application of primary healthcare principles in national community health worker programmes in low-income and middle-income countries: a scoping review