As low- and middle-income countries face continued shortages of human resources for health and the double burden of infectious and chronic diseases, there is renewed international interest in the potential for community health workers to assume a growing role in strengthening health systems. A growing list of tasks, some of them complex, is being shifted to community health … [Read more...] about Task-shifting and prioritization: a situational analysis examining the role and experiences of community health workers in Malawi
Research
Assessment of the quality of antenatal care services provided by health workers using a mobile phone decision support application in northern Nigeria: A pre/post-intervention study
Nigeria’s maternal mortality ratio is the tenth highest in the world, with an estimated 630 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, and 40,000 maternal deaths annually. There is now a critical need to support Nigeria’s efforts to make significant progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goal 5 target of reducing maternal mortality by 2015 through the government’s … [Read more...] about Assessment of the quality of antenatal care services provided by health workers using a mobile phone decision support application in northern Nigeria: A pre/post-intervention study
Integrating mental health and HIV services in Zimbabwean communities: A nurse and community-led approach reach the most vulnerable
Globally, mental health disorders, including harmful alcohol and substance use, are the leading causes of years lost to disability, accounting for up to 189 million disability-adjusted life years annually. Depression accounts for up to 50% of disability-adjusted life years caused by mental health disorders, while alcohol and substance use accounts for up to 10%. It is estimated … [Read more...] about Integrating mental health and HIV services in Zimbabwean communities: A nurse and community-led approach reach the most vulnerable
Estimating the cost of referral and willingness to pay for referral to higher-level health facilities: a case series study from an integrated community case management programme in Uganda
Malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea are among the leading killer diseases among children aged five years and below. Efforts in realizing the Millennium Development Goals are tailored towards tackling the three diseases at community level through integrated community case management (iCCM). iCCM involves diagnosis and treatment of malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea by community … [Read more...] about Estimating the cost of referral and willingness to pay for referral to higher-level health facilities: a case series study from an integrated community case management programme in Uganda
A qualitative assessment of health extension workers’ relationships with the community and health sector in Ethiopia: opportunities for enhancing maternal health performance
In 2004, the Government of Ethiopia introduced the Health Extension Programme (HEP), a free primary health care package with four components: disease prevention and control, family health, hygiene and environmental sanitation, and health education and communication. A female cadre of salaried community health workers (CHWs) called health extension workers (HEWs) was introduced … [Read more...] about A qualitative assessment of health extension workers’ relationships with the community and health sector in Ethiopia: opportunities for enhancing maternal health performance