Global efforts to scale-up the community health workforce have accelerated as a result of the growing evidence of their effectiveness to enhance coverage and health outcomes. Reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan integrated capacity investments for community-based service delivery, including the deployment of over 28,000 community health workers (CHWs) to ensure access to basic … [Read more...] about Toward universal coverage in Afghanistan: A multi-stakeholder assessment of capacity investments in the community health worker system
Estimating the cost of referral and willingness to pay for referral to higher-level health facilities: a case series study from an integrated community case management programme in Uganda
Integrated community case management (iCCM) relies on community health workers (CHWs) managing children with malaria, pneumonia, diarrhoea, and referring children when management is not possible. This study sought to establish the cost per sick child referred to seek care from a higher-level health facility by a CHW and to estimate caregivers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for a … [Read more...] about Estimating the cost of referral and willingness to pay for referral to higher-level health facilities: a case series study from an integrated community case management programme in Uganda
mHealth as a Tool for Integrated Systems Strengthening in Sexual and Reproductive Health Programming
The growth in capacity and geographic reach of mobile technology has important implications for health and development. While mobile technology is commonly used to address health systems challenges, Pathfinder International is exploring the application of mobile technology to improve implementation for sexual and reproductive health and rights, necessarily … [Read more...] about mHealth as a Tool for Integrated Systems Strengthening in Sexual and Reproductive Health Programming
Influence of community health volunteers on care seeking and treatment coverage for common childhood illnesses in the context of free health care in rural Sierra Leone
This study aimed to examine whether community health volunteers induced significant changes in care-seeking and treatment of ill children under five 2 years after their deployment in two underserved districts of Sierra Leone. The presence of community health volunteers was associated with a 105% increase in appropriate treatment for pneumonia and a 55% drop … [Read more...] about Influence of community health volunteers on care seeking and treatment coverage for common childhood illnesses in the context of free health care in rural Sierra Leone
A Mobile Phone-Based, Community Health Worker Program for Referral, Follow-Up, and Service Outreach in Rural Zambia: Outcomes and Overview
Mobile health (m-health) utilizes widespread access to mobile phone technologies to expand health services. Community health workers (CHWs) provide first-level contact with health facilities; combining CHW efforts with m-health may be an avenue for improving primary care services. As part of a primary care improvement project, a pilot CHW program was developed using a mobile … [Read more...] about A Mobile Phone-Based, Community Health Worker Program for Referral, Follow-Up, and Service Outreach in Rural Zambia: Outcomes and Overview