Authors: Henry B. Perry and Jeffrey D. Sachs
Universal health coverage is achievable for even the poorest countries if they focus on expanding their primary healthcare (PHC) systems, which includes strong community outreach. Investing in PHC is cost-effective and can save millions of lives each year. However, many low- and middle-income countries prioritize funding for hospitals and specialized care over PHC, leading to underfunded community outreach programs and community health workers. This creates a cycle where poor-quality PHC services cause patients to seek care at hospitals, further diverting resources away from PHC. There is an urgent need to recognize and fund community health programs as essential to effective health systems, ensuring that community health workers have the necessary support to provide vital services.
Link: The Investment Case for Strengthening Primary Healthcare and Community Health Worker Programs in Low- and Lower-Middle-Income Countries
Resource Topic: CHW programs
Resource Type: Evaluation
Year: 2024
Region: Global
Country:
Publisher May Restrict Access: Yes