Community health workers (CHWs) are used increasingly in the world to address shortages of health workers and the lack of a pervasive national health system. However, while their role is often described at a policy level, it is not clear how these ideals are instantiated in practice, how best to support this work, or how the work is interpreted by local actors. CHWs are often … [Read more...] about What do community health workers have to say about their work, and how can this inform improved programme design? A case study with CHWs within Kenya
Issue papers
Becoming and remaining community health workers: Perspectives from Ethiopia and Mozambique
Many global health practitioners are currently reaffirming the importance of recruiting and retaining effective community health workers (CHWs) in order to achieve major public health goals. This raises policy-relevant questions about why people become and remain CHWs. This paper addresses these questions, drawing on ethnographic work in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, … [Read more...] about Becoming and remaining community health workers: Perspectives from Ethiopia and Mozambique
In Depth Interviews of Health Workers in Sierra Leone
Coherent human resource for health (HRH) policies should be designed to address the challenges faced in recruitment and retention of health workers, particularly in developing countries. In Sierra Leone, there are challenges in providing equitable healthcare for all due in part to the current HRH situation, which includes an unequal distribution of the health workforce between … [Read more...] about In Depth Interviews of Health Workers in Sierra Leone
Kisumu Final Report
Kenya’s third largest city, Kisumu, serves as a trading and transportation hub for west- ern Kenya and bears the dubious distinction of having Kenya’s worst set of health indicators and one of the nation’s highest poverty levels. While much work lies ahead for Kisumu to attain the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the City, in coordination with major development partners … [Read more...] about Kisumu Final Report
Policy for Community Health Workers in Sierra Leone
Health systems in Sierra Leone are undergoing considerable change, often in a context of ongoing health sector reforms. In Sierra Leone, decentralization of health services is very central to these changes, and consequently there is a need to prepare and empower those working at the district level for their new responsibilities and tasks. The development of the Community … [Read more...] about Policy for Community Health Workers in Sierra Leone