mHealth and Technology

Taking knowledge for health the extra mile: participatory evaluation of a mobile phone intervention for community health workers in Malawi

In Malawi, where the majority of the population resides in rural areas, community health workers (CHWs) are the first, and often only, providers of health services. An assessment of health information needs, however, found that these frontline workers often lacked essential health information. A pilot project, implemented in 2 rural districts of Malawi between 2010 and 2011, … [Read more...] about Taking knowledge for health the extra mile: participatory evaluation of a mobile phone intervention for community health workers in Malawi

The United Nations (UN) Commission on Life-Saving Commodities for Women and Children (hereafter referred to as the “Commission) was established in 2012 to increase access to and expand the use of 13 life-saving health commodities for women and children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) by 2015. To achieve this goal, the Commission made 10 recommendations, based on … [Read more...] about mHealth Support Tools for Improving the Performance of Frontline Health Workers: An Inventory and Analytical Review

Lay or community health workers (LHWs) are an important human resource in primary health care, and contribute to improving access to care. However, optimal use of LHWs within the health system is often hampered by a poor understanding of how this cadre organizes its work. This study aimed to better understand how LHWs organize and structure their time in providing treatment and … [Read more...] about The provision of TB and HIV/AIDS treatment support by lay health workers in South Africa: a time-and-motion study

In the face of global health worker shortages, community health workers (CHWs) are an important health care delivery strategy for underserved populations. In Uganda, community-based programs often use volunteer CHWs to extend services, including family planning, in rural areas. This study examined factors related to CHW motivation and level of activity in 3 family planning … [Read more...] about Keeping community health workers in Uganda motivated: key challenges, facilitators, and preferred program inputs

Contraceptive implants offer promising opportunities for addressing the high and growing unmet need for modern contraceptives in sub-Saharan Africa. Marie Stopes International (MSI) offers implants as one of many family planning options. High levels of client satisfaction were attained alongside service provision scale up by using existing MSI service delivery channels—mobile … [Read more...] about Scaling up delivery of contraceptive implants in sub-Saharan Africa: operational experiences of Marie Stopes International