By: CHW Central
“If we train village health workers, and make sure they’re compensated, then the resources intended for the world’s poorest – from vaccines, to bed nets, to prenatal care, and to care for chronic diseases like AIDS and tuberculosis – would reach the intended beneficiaries. Training and paying village health workers also creates jobs among the very poorest.”- Dr. Paul Farmer
CHW Central recognizes the legacy of Dr. Paul Farmer who sadly passed away in Rwanda on February 21, 2022. Dr. Farmer pioneered a community based approach to health and social justice issues across the globe. Mobilizing community health workers to provide care, Dr. Farmer dedicated his career to improving quality and access to healthcare amongst even the most remote populations. He recognized the cultural knowledge and community trust village and community health workers hold as key to providing quality services to those typically excluded from health systems. Dr. Farmer’s work focused on the intersection of poverty and health outcomes with CHWs as the secret ingredient in carrying out his vision. He strongly advocated that CHWs be recognized and paid for their work.
More formally, Dr. Farmer served as the chair of the Department for Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Kolokotrones University Professor, co-founder of Partners in Health and chief of the Division of Global Health Equity at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. He authored several books, including his most recent publication, Fevers, Feuds, and Diamonds: Ebola and the Ravages of History.
Our thoughts are with his family, friends and the communities he loved.
Photo Credit: Isaac Hernandez
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