An estimated 2.8 million neonatal deaths occur annually worldwide, three-quarters in Africa and Asia. These deaths are due largely to preventable causes, with neonatal infection accounting for 24% of all neonatal deaths. In low-resource community-based settings, care-seeking for neonatal illnesses can be triggered through two paths. One is through household … [Read more...] about A systematic review of community-to-facility neonatal referral completion rates in Africa and Asia
Ghana
Using a human resource management approach to support community health workers: experiences from five African countries
Like any other health worker, community health workers (CHWs) need to be supported to ensure that they are able to contribute effectively to health programmes. Management challenges, similar to those of managing any other health worker, relate to improving attraction, retention and performance. Exploratory case studies of CHW programmes in the Democratic Republic of Congo, … [Read more...] about Using a human resource management approach to support community health workers: experiences from five African countries
Factors influencing the career choice and retention of community mental health workers in Ghana
Whilst there have been several studies exploring retention in health workers, little is known about health workers engaged in the provision of mental health services and the factors that affect their recruitment and retention. The objective of this research was to examine the views of stakeholders about the factors which influence career choices and retention of community … [Read more...] about Factors influencing the career choice and retention of community mental health workers in Ghana
How To Inspire Courage, Spur Action And Save Lives
April and early May are bookended by World Health Worker Week (April 7-11) and International Day of the Midwife (May 5) -- two opportunities to recognize the invaluable contributions of health workers in saving and bettering the lives of our communities. The women and men who have been on my mind are the innumerable hard-working, selfless, often heroic frontline health workers … [Read more...] about How To Inspire Courage, Spur Action And Save Lives
Valuing and Sustaining (or Not) the Ability of Volunteer Community Health Workers to Deliver Integrated Community Case Management in Northern Ghana: A Qualitative Study
This study sought to understand the experience of the integrated community case management of childhood illnesses (iCCM) program in Accra and the Northern Region of Ghana from the local UNICEF staff, their partners, researchers, CHWs and others. Results found that both mothers and facility level staff appreciated CHWs efforts to localize the treatment of childhood illnesses. … [Read more...] about Valuing and Sustaining (or Not) the Ability of Volunteer Community Health Workers to Deliver Integrated Community Case Management in Northern Ghana: A Qualitative Study