Research

Initial experience and innovations in supervising community health workers for maternal, newborn child health in Morogoro region, Tanzania

Supervision is meant to improve the performance and motivation of community health workers (CHWs). However, most evidence on supervision relates to facility health workers. The Integrated Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH) Program in Morogoro region, Tanzania, implemented a CHW pilot with a cascade supervision model where facility health workers were trained in … [Read more...] about Initial experience and innovations in supervising community health workers for maternal, newborn child health in Morogoro region, Tanzania

In 2012, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW), Tanzania, approved national guidelines and training materials for community health workers (CHWs) in integrated maternal, newborn and child health (Integrated MNCH), with CHWs trained and deployed across five districts of Morogoro Region soon after. To inform future scale up, this study assessed motivation and … [Read more...] about Motivation and satisfaction among community health workers in Morogoro Region, Tanzania: nuanced needs and varied ambitions

Community health worker (CHW) programmes have received much attention since the 1978 Declaration of Alma-Ata, with many initiatives established in developing countries. However, CHW programmes often suffer high attrition once the initial enthusiasm of volunteers wanes. In 2002, Uganda began implementing a national CHW programme called the village health teams (VHTs), but their … [Read more...] about Selection and performance of village health teams (VHTs) in Uganda: lessons from the natural helper model of health promotion

Despite the progress some countries have made in scaling up CHW programs, many countries that would benefit from strong CHW cadres currently have only ad hoc, sub-scale programs. This problem extends even to high-income countries that would benefit from CHW programs to provide cost-effective care and battle chronic disease. Countries wishing to scale these programs using a … [Read more...] about Strengthening Primary Health Care through Community Health Workers: Investment Case and Financing Recommendations

Among family planning methods, long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs), consisting of intrauterine devices (IUDs) and implants, have a proven record of high effectiveness and high user satisfaction, and they are not dependent on user adherence. However, despite the many advantages of LARCs, contraceptive implants, which are among the most effective LARCs, make up a very … [Read more...] about Task Shifting Provision of Contraceptive Implants to Community Health Extension Workers: Results of Operations Research in Northern Nigeria