This study examined: (i) whether Zambian CHWs could prepare and interpret RDTs accurately and safely using manufacturer's instructions alone; (ii) whether mostly pictorial instructions (a "job aid") could raise performance; and (iii) whether a brief training program would produce further improvement. The authors found that manufacturers' instructions, like those provided with … [Read more...] about Improving community health worker use of malaria rapid diagnostic tests in Zambia: package instructions, job aid and job aid-plus-training
Best practices
Healthy Villages: A guide for communities and community health workers
This guide outlines the type of information and approaches that Healthy Villages managers could provide to their communities; it can be used as the basis for developing material that is specific to regions or to entire countries. Healthy Villages deals with achieving good health through: water, excreta disposal, drainage, solid waste management, housing quality, hygiene, … [Read more...] about Healthy Villages: A guide for communities and community health workers
Community-Based Access to Injectable Contraceptives Toolkit
This toolkit provides a variety of resources that form a platform for strengthening organizations’ capacity to promote community-based access to injectable contraceptives and to advocate for national policy and service delivery guidelines. The components of the toolkit address program planning, implementation, evaluation and scale-up. It provides evidence and background … [Read more...] about Community-Based Access to Injectable Contraceptives Toolkit
Six Guiding Principles of Streamlining Community-based Programs
This report summarizes six guiding principles and lessons learned that emerged from the work of an MOH/BASICS team developing a community-based IMCI program in Madagascar. The principles elaborated for streamlining community-based programs are: 1. Action-based messages; 2. Easy-to-use front-line teaching tools; 3. Short skill-based trainings; 4. Engaging large numbers of … [Read more...] about Six Guiding Principles of Streamlining Community-based Programs
Moving Towards Best Practice: Documenting and Learning from Existing Community Health/Care Worker Programmes
This study sought to identify best practices in deployment of community health and care workers (CHWs and CCWs). Studies conducted in each of South Africa’s 9 provinces assessed the extent to which CHW deployment has addressed important health priorities; documented success stories and lessons; and developed an understanding of the range of ways that CHW programs have evolved … [Read more...] about Moving Towards Best Practice: Documenting and Learning from Existing Community Health/Care Worker Programmes