Community Health Workers in Pandemics: Evidence and Investment Implications

• Published in: Global health science and practice 2022-04, Vol.10 (2), p.e2100648
• Main Authors: Ballard, Madeleine, Johnson, Ari, Mwanza, Iris, Ngwira, Hope, Schechter, Jennifer, Odera, Margaret, Mbewe, Dickson Nansima, Moenga, Roseline, Muyingo, Prossy, Jalloh, Ramatulai, Wabwire, John, Gichaga, Angela, Choudhury, Nandini, Maru, Duncan, Keronyai, Pauline, Westgate, Carey, Sapkota, Sabitri, Olsen, Helen Elizabeth, Muther, Kyle, Rapp, Stephanie, Raghavan, Mallika, Lipman-White, Kim, French, Matthew, Napier, Harriet, Nepomnyashchiy, Lyudmila
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Commentaries; Community Health Workers; Humans; Pandemics
• ISSN: 2169-575X; 2169-575X
• DOI: 10.9745/GHSP-D-21-00648

Community health workers have long played a critical role in preventing, detecting, and responding to pandemics across the globe. To expand, improve, and institutionalize these services, changes in the approach to bi/multilateral aid and private philanthropic investments in low- and middle-income countries are required. A strong and accessible national health system, including at the community level, is critical for pandemic preparedness and response. Community health workers who are equipped, trained, and paid as part of a well-functioning health system can help prevent epidemics from becoming pandemics and maintain health care delivery amid significant disruption. To achieve resilient health systems, bi/multilateral aid and private philanthropies need to review their investment practices to replace those that cause harm (high transaction costs, earmarking, short-termism, appropriation of sovereignty) with practices that ensure timely and effective implementation of priorities set by government stakeholders (pooling, longer commitments, and alignment with evidence-based guidelines)