This report presents the findings and recommendations of the Global Health Workforce Alliance’s Task Force for Scaling Up and Training for Health Workers, focusing on countries with a health workforce crisis. The report uses evidence from Brazil, Ethiopia,and India on what can and has been done to expand the education and training of health workers quickly and on a national … [Read more...] about Scaling Up, Saving Lives
Research
Tackling social factors to save lives in India
This article from the Bulletin of the WHO, describes various roles played by Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), India's national cadre of village-based workers, and other innovative community health programs working on maternal and child health, sanitation and hygiene, contraception, immunization and other health issues. CHWs are making major contributions to national … [Read more...] about Tackling social factors to save lives in India
Community performance-based financing in health: Incentivizing mothers and community health workers to improve maternal health outcomes in Rwanda
This paper is one of a series of background papers commissioned by WHO for the October, 2011, World Conference on Social Determinants of Health. It describes Rwanda's attempt to improve maternal indicators by pairing a community performance-based financing (CPBF) strategy to empower CHWs with a strategy to incentivize mothers. The pilot intervention was conducted in 31 of … [Read more...] about Community performance-based financing in health: Incentivizing mothers and community health workers to improve maternal health outcomes in Rwanda
Knowledge and communication needs assessment of community health workers in a developing country: a qualitative study
This study documents the perceptions of CHWs on their knowledge and communication needs, image building through mass media and mechanisms for continued education. Focus group discussions were held with health workers and their supervisors in all four provinces in Pakistan. About four fifths of the respondents described their communication skills as moderately sufficient and … [Read more...] about Knowledge and communication needs assessment of community health workers in a developing country: a qualitative study
Thirty years after Alma-Ata: a systematic review of the impact of community health workers delivering curative interventions against malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhoea on child mortality and morbidity in sub-Saharan Africa
The authors conducted a systematic review of studies conducted between 1987 and 2007 in sub-Saharan Africa on the impact of CHW programs on morbidity and mortality of children under six. Seven studies in which CHWs provided curative treatment were included in the review. The authors conclude that CHW programs have the potential to contribute to large gains in child survival. … [Read more...] about Thirty years after Alma-Ata: a systematic review of the impact of community health workers delivering curative interventions against malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhoea on child mortality and morbidity in sub-Saharan Africa