Several African and South Asian countries are currently investing in new cadres of community health workers (CHWs) as a major part of strategies aimed at reaching the Millennium Development Goals. However, one review concluded that community health workers did not consistently provide services likely to have substantial effects on health and that quality was … [Read more...] about Individual and contextual factors associated with community health workers’ performance in Nyanza Province, Kenya: a multilevel analysis
Performance management
The community case management of pneumonia in Africa: a review of the evidence
Pneumonia causes around 750 000 child deaths per year in sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. The lack of accessibility to prompt and effective treatment is an important contributor to this burden. Community case management of pneumonia (CCMp) uses trained community health workers (CHWs) to administer antibiotics to suspected child pneumonia cases in villages. This strategy has … [Read more...] about The community case management of pneumonia in Africa: a review of the evidence
Do community health workers perceive mechanisms associated with the success of community case management of malaria? A qualitative study from Burkina Faso
The use of community health workers to administer prompt treatments is gaining popularity in most sub-Saharan African countries. Their performance is a key challenge because it varies considerably, depending on the context, while being closely associated with the effectiveness of case management strategies. What determines community health workers' performance is still under … [Read more...] about Do community health workers perceive mechanisms associated with the success of community case management of malaria? A qualitative study from Burkina Faso
How does context influence performance of community health workers in low- and middle-income countries? Evidence from the literature
Community health workers (CHWs) are increasingly recognized as an integral component of the health workforce needed to achieve public health goals in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Many factors intersect to influence CHW performance. However, research seldom focuses on the implications of context for CHW or programme performance. Understanding the socio-cultural, … [Read more...] about How does context influence performance of community health workers in low- and middle-income countries? Evidence from the literature
Improving the quality of data collected by community health workers in rural Malawi
In 2007, Abwenzi Pa Za Umoyo (APZU), the sister organization of Partners In Health (PIH) in Malawi, began a community health worker program to support HIV care in the remote, rural district of Neno. The program was designed to complement and be integrated with a Ministry of Health national HIV care program. The addition of community health workers allows HIV care and treatment … [Read more...] about Improving the quality of data collected by community health workers in rural Malawi