Community Health Workers
The Problem
Sierra Leone remains one of the least developed nations in the world and relies on just one doctor per 35,000 citizens. Current life expectancy is just 50.9 years – a full 25 years shorter than the global average. The country ranks first with the highest maternal mortality ratio in the world, while 38% of children are stunted, 9% are wasted, and 16% are underweight. Multiple factors play toward such poor health of mothers and children, including limited access to quality health care, poor nutrition, poverty, and high rates of illiteracy among women, particularly in rural areas.
WHI's Solution
Community Health Worker (CHW) programs have emerged as one of the most effective ways to address health disparities and provide primary health care in developing countries. CHWs are trusted members of their communities who volunteer their time to serve their towns and villages.
In partnership with UNICEF and the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, WHI has trained and manages more than 1,000 Community Health Workers who live in hard-to-reach communities across Sierra Leone’s Bombali District. CHWs provide in-home prenatal and post-natal care visits, perform malnutrition screenings, and educate community members about the health services available in their communities, including how and when to access those services. CHWs are native to the communities they work in and are well-respected by community members. They have the advanced knowledge and skills necessary to promote positive health outcomes in their communities, yet they can do so at a basic level and in the local languages, which allows community members to understand and relate.
The Impact
CHWs provide oversight and care for 20,000 pregnant and lactating women and 87,000 children aged 0 to 5 across Bombali district. Through training and managing CHWs since 2013, WHI has evolved its expertise to engage communities in adopting healthy behaviours.