CHW Central

A global resource for and about Community Health Workers

Country Insights

Elevating Country Voices

Hear from the frontlines of community health. Find stories and interviews of community health workers and community health program managers that will deepen understanding of their crucial function delivering lifesaving care to communities.

Political Prioritization for Community Health Systems Strengthening: A Case of Nairobi Metropolitan Services Health Directorate, Kenya

In 2019, Nairobi county, Kenya, launched the Nairobi City County Community Health Services ACT, a legal framework for governing community health services. Since its implementation, the act has ensured monthly stipends for CHVs and remobilized the COVID-19 public health campaign.


Read the full story.

Role of community health volunteers in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya

In Tharaka Nithi county, Kenya, community health volunteers played a crucial role in the COVID-19 response. Following decisive government action, CHVs conducted educational campaigns, screened for possible COVID-19 cases, and helped households implement hand washing stations.


Read the full story.

A story of Euridice Njagi, a community health volunteer from Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya

In her interview with FAH, Eurydice, a community health volunteer, describes her experiences serving her community in Tharaka Nithi county, Kenya.


Read the full story.

More from the CHW frontlines:

  • Kenya: After the implementation of a national community health program in 2006, Makueni county, Kenya, has increased community health units by more than 50 percent.  Read the full story.
  • Kenya: In Laikipia county, Kenya, community health volunteers (CHVs) have had an essential role in providing residents with quality, affordable, and accessible healthcare. Read the full story.
  • Kenya: In this interview with FAH, Mercy, a community health assistant, describes her experiences supervising community health units and volunteers in Makueni county, Kenya. Read the full story.
  • Kenya: Mr. Jackson Mbalu has served as Assembly Health Committee chair in Makueni county, Kenya for the past five years. In this interview with FAH, he shares his experiences. Read the full story.
  • Kenya: Learn about Euridice, a Community Health Volunteer (CHV) with a passion for nutrition. She works in Gatua Community Health Unit (CHU), Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. Read the full story.
  • Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe’s Village Health Worker Programme dates back to the 1980s. We had the privilege to speak to five VHWs and their manager, a District Nursing Officer, to understand their role, their achievements and areas of improvement. Read the full story.
  • Togo: Mr. Bassar N’gadjassain is a Community Health Worker in Bawelessi Village, Kara Region, Togo. In this interview with FAH, he shares his proudest moments as a CHW as well as thoughts on how the CHW experience can be further improved. Read the full story.
  • Zambia: Mr. Mwango Mlenga is a District Health Promotion Officer in Zambia’s Ndola district. In this interview he shares his opinion on the successes and challenges facing the implementation of Zambia’s CHW program. Read the full story.
  • Sierra Leone: As the National Community Health Director at the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Mr. Alpha Bangura works to ensure that Sierra Leone’s national CHW program is running as planned. He discusses the program’s successes and challenges, and the importance of integrated system design. Read the full story.
  • Kenya: Kilala Model Health Centre has approximately 50 community health volunteers (CHVs). Hear from five CHVs and their supervisor as they talk about their experiences delivering community health services. Read the full story.
  • Liberia: Meet Mr. Anti-Big–Belly, Bob Kaifa, from Liberia, a passionate Community Health Assistant who works on educating young women on early pregnancy as well as reaching his local community on important health issues. Read the full story.

Country Financing

Technical and practical resources to help community health program planners navigate the complex financing landscape and build well resourced health systems.

Strengthening Primary Health Care through CHWs: The Investment Case

This report, from 2015, presents the recommendations from a distinguished group of global health and government leaders making the case for investment in CHWs as a component of primary health care and options for financing.

–> Learn more and download this report.

Financing Compendium

The Financing Compendium is a one-stop shop for community health practitioners on financing options illustrating different financing instruments and approaches that might be applicable for a country.

–> Learn more and download this resource.

Country Community Health System Information

Fact Cards

The Financing Alliance for Health has produced a series of fact cards providing key information on health landscapes, financing, and community health systems across eight countries in Sub-Saharan Africa:

Country Community Health Systems Case Studies

A source for robust information on community health system profiles for countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, taking a financing lens. Insights cover details on community health system context, structure and lessons on financing.

Rwanda

Rwanda’s national CHW program was introduced in 1995 and includes 45,000 health workers. CHWs work in male-female pairs called Binômes and provide health screenings, education on NCDs, and more. Additionally, each community has an Assistante Maternelle de Santé, or maternal health assistant, whose duties include providing contraceptives and regular household visits.

Key factors in the program’s success include:

  • Strong political commitment
  • Fluid program implementation
  • Strong policy and strategic plan
  • Focus on high-yield interventions

–> Learn more and download this case study.

South Africa

In 2010, South Africa began to re-engineer the primary health care process. There are approximately 65,000 CHWs in the country who provide health education, health needs assessments, and more.

Key factors in the program’s success include:

  • Detailed data management and evaluation
  • Strong sub-national implementation structures
  • CHW integration with existing mechanisms

–> Learn more and download this case study.

Find more FAH country case studies in the CHW Central Resources database. Search for “country case study.”

Community Health Strategies and Policies

A repository of current community health strategies and policies from sub-Saharan African countries.

Tharaka Nithi Community Health Strategy 2021-2025

Tharaka Nithi county, Kenya, partnered with the Financing Alliance for Health to develop the county’s first-ever community health strategy.

Following a 2021 situational analysis, county officials recognized several key challenges with the existing community health program, including inadequate training, inequitable health service coverage, and limited partner coordination.

The 2021-2025 Community Health Strategy outlines potential interventions that address these challenges and help the county achieve universal health coverage. Examples of these interventions include ensuring optimal recruitment and deployment of county community health workers and reinforcing community referral mechanisms.

–> Download the full Strategy document.

Laikipia Community Health Strategy 2021–2025

In collaboration with the Financing Alliance for Health, Laikipia county, Kenya, developed the 2021-2025 Community Health Strategy.

After the initial implementation of a Community Health Strategy in 2012, Laikipia county observed significant improvements in employment, the economy, and quality of life. However, due to inadequate health financing and gaps in the program’s implementation, the county risks losing these improvements.

The 2021-2025 strategy aims to enhance preventive and promotive health services in Laikipia county, and outlines key interventions including strengthening community health partnerships, increasing usage of community health services, and improving community health workforce coordination and management.

–> Download the full Strategy document.