Title: Benefits and limitations of various types of community health workers Introduction: Since the Alma Alta Declaration in 1978, countries have invested in several initiatives and innovations aimed at achieving the Health for All target through the use of the principles of primary health care such as equity, community empowerment and participation, health services integration and multisector approach (1). The use of Community Health Workers in primary health care is one of the significant achievement made by the countries in ensuring that all the principles of primary health care are met. There is documented evidence of improved health outcomes such as high immunization coverages, reduction in maternal and child mortality as well as …show more content…
The training duration can range from 3 weeks to 3 years, with a provision for career progression as an incentive in some countries like Nigeria and Malawi (6). World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that the CHWs should be chosen by their communities in order to promote community participation, empowerment, trust and delivery of health services by workers who are familiar with the culture and beliefs of the local people thereby ensuring better communication and provision of culturally acceptable services (3). WHO further estimates that there are over 1.5 million CHWs globally, with different levels of implementation in different countries (2, 3). Studies have shown that CHWs are involved in several roles such as disease prevention, treating common illnesses, task shifting of some profession duties, rehabilitation programs (7) and other non-health related activities such as identification of beneficiaries for social cash transfer programs in Malawi (8), as Farmers Club Members in the Jamkhed Project in India (2) as well as sanitation and environmental activities in Iran (9). The CHWs are categorised into volunteers and salaried or paid trained lay health workers (2). Available evidence suggest that the CHWs are paid and are integrated into the formal health
This paper will step out of the comfort of the first world American lifestyle and look beyond to the health and social issues around the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) is the leading stakeholder in advancing the awareness and support on global health issues along with the United Nations (UN) and other governmental and nongovernmental agencies. Only once the issues of these vulnerable people are identified can these organizations move forward in addressing and prioritizing the rapidly evolving global health agenda. The Millennium Development Goals will be defined briefly, however, since their goal completion date has ended, a future look at follow on program, Sustainable Development Goals seems the best place
The World Health Assembly expects efforts to achieve the “Health for All” goals of the WHO to be collaboration between the country’s leaders, health organizations, individual countryman, communities and other countries (Maurer and Smith 2013, p. 115). There are many intergovernmental organizations (The WHO, the Pan American Health Organization, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Bank, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention etc.) as well as voluntary and philanthropic organizations (Catholic Relief Services, American Friends Service Committee, Doctors without borders, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, etc.) that focus on the health of populations around the world, providing expertise, technical support, funding for economic and infrastructure development and for healthcare services (Maurer and Smith, 2013, pp116-118). As for other countries education in how to raise your own crops can be beneficial. Food and financial aid is currently supplied but perhaps that could be increased, with the introduction
With the focus on these five areas, Governments in each country are creating health systems that aim to provide services that are affordable, equitable and accessible. To achieve a sustainable health system, cooperation and participation of all health care providers is vital. This will work towards WHO’s goal of achieving “better health for all”
The Journal of Global Health Perspectives is an online open-access research journal. In addition to publishing primary research they also publish articles that relate meaningful experiences, observations and reflections from members of the global health community. To publish an article in the journal the article had to be E mailed to them along with a signed copyright policy and indicate the category of the work. Current topics of interest are Child health inequality, Maternal health in India, Ebola eradication.
Complete all training of personnel within three months of implementation, with periodic training held on a weekly basis from
The purpose of this paper is to discuss how a Public Health Nurse’s role plays in the Health Care Reform. I will describe a public health commpentenciy and disduss why it is important related to Public Health Nursing. I will then discuss what the future to public health nursing is relation to the Health Care Reform.
Assess the role of the family, community, organizations and international community in in improving public health
As I was reading about the village and the people in the village in Madagascar, I really admired Janice Harper the medical anthropologist. The living conditions and the health of the people really made me think about how fortunate we are in the United States to have health care. The mortality rate was disturbing with 100 deaths per 1000 people compared to that of the US being 8 deaths per 1000 population (Singer & Baer, 2012, p.45). It would be wonderful to be able to go to different countries to help people improve their health care and provide proper medical care, but not sure how one deals with the conditions of the different countries. It definitely takes a special person to be able to deal with the situations Harper encountered. But, Harper found that even though the children where sick with bloated bellies, ear infections, scabies and boils, they were still active and happily playing (Singer & Baer, 2012, p.45). This was the children’s way of life and how they
Transparency is needed because everyone should have access to essential health information. Participation from the community is a component because everyone is a stakeholder. Hunt and Backman also stress equity, equality, and non-discrimination because health systems must be accessible to everyone and protected by the law. They also argue that health committee members must show respect for cultural differences. Medical care is one crucial component of a health system, but covering health determinants is equally critical in Hunt and Backman’s framework. They also cover the need for progressive realization to implement health systems effectively and account for resource accessibility. However, Hunt and Backman state that distinct from the progressive realization component are “duties of immediate effect” which requires that a list of minimum essentials be guaranteed and minimum baskets of health services for each country are adopted (84-85). There must be quality of care, and access to preventive care and effective referral systems. All health care participants should coordinate health care at the international, national, and departmental levels. There should be international cooperation in the control of infectious diseases, distribution of health findings, and international regulatory plans. Participants must cover balances between resources and rights conflicts and should fairly resolve by considering the viewpoint of the least powerful participant. Last,
A Population’s health outcome is usually determined more so by its social factors than its medical care. Health care provider determine the type of care in this community by firstly assessing the social determinant which range from the personal, social, economic, and environmental factors that influence health status. In defining the type of healthcare for this community an HCP takes into consideration several factors including; the lack of availability of health services in the area, the high cost and lack of insurance coverage and language barriers, age and disease prevalence of the population to be served. To meet the needs of this community there are free, income based health clinics, public health department clinics and community
Description of Sanitation for an healthy community model. After the earthquake in 2010 in Haiti, there was an outbreak of Cholera. The biggest problem was the lack of sanitation and low level of awareness. In the patient education model for increasing handwashing compliance for healthcare worker; in this model, the focus will be on the patient. The nurse as an educator will be able to teach the community on the importance of a good sanitation for an healthy population. In Haiti, the majority of the rural population will gather every week in the big market to sell their crops and their good. This is a good opportunity for the nurses to reach and teach them directly. The nurses will drive a bus with
According to Leiyu Shi and Douglas A. Singh (2015), “Health determinants are major factors that, over time affect the health and well-being of individuals and populations” (p.52). Differences are constantly being made throughout the health care system, communities and various cultural groups for the healthcare administrations to expand their reach beyond medical services. Today in many areas health care professionals are taking a different approach by focusing not only on health but on the well-being of the people as well. In order for many of the health care professionals to improve the communities in which they serve they must improve on the four key determinants of health.
Under public health, an ideal healthcare system will ensure that the members of the society remain healthy and this will require prevention of injuries and diseases as well as health promotion and provision of coordinated, effective and timely healthcare. To achieve lasting and substantial improvements in public health, a common goal alignment will be of great important. A clear cut integration of public health and primary care will improve the capacity of the healthcare system in carrying out respective missions and linking it with other stakeholders in the promotion of collaborative ward improved health of the community.
Although volunteers for Medecins Sans Frontiers are commonly stationed in various countries with a dire healthcare worker shortage, regions with refugee camps and internally displaced persons are also a focus for this organization. Refugees and internally displaced persons often come from war torn regions and live in close confines with poor sanitation and limited resources. These living situations become a breeding ground for diseases and other health issues like malnutrition, yet the individuals lack access to any sort of healthcare. The organization also responds quickly when regions suddenly experience an increased need for healthcare, for example in times of an epidemic or a natural disaster. Medecins Sans Frontiers’ involvement across its varying regions and their attempt to address a broad spectrum of healthcare truly show how altruistic the organization is to individuals regardless of race, gender, or religion.
The Shasthya Shebika (SS) are female community health volunteers with minimal education or illiterate working under the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) to provide basic health services and sale medical products as a source of income in Bangladesh (9). The programme was set up by the BRAC in 1970 to respond to the human resources for health crisis and has remained to be the backbone of the health system due to the large numbers of volunteers recruited, ability to cover difficult geographical areas as well as rapid mobilisation capacity during the national health campaigns (7). It is estimated that the number of the SS has risen significantly by over 2500% within the past 20 years (9). This may be due to the ability of BRAC to recruit volunteers with minimal or no formal education as opposed to the case of the HSAs in Malawi. In addition, the SS mostly work on part-time basis in the afternoon and their roles include dissemination of health information, provision of family planning services, conducting immunisation programs and selling medical products in the community (25).