World Health Worker Week offers the opportunity to globally mobilize communities, partners, and policy makers in support of community health workers (CHWs). Advancing Partners and Communities (APC) works to advance global leadership in community health, support policies and programs surrounding community health workers, and ultimately improve health outcomes.
Community health workers are the foundation of the health system. Help us raise awareness of the challenges health workers face every day and honor their commitment to improve health outcomes in the communities they serve.
Community Health Systems Catalog
APC’s Community Health Systems Catalog documents policy guidance across 25 countries deemed priority by USAID’s Office of Population and Reproductive Health in detailed profiles and data sets. APC is currently updating the catalog to capture new and revised policies as they develop and is expanding the content to include other health areas (nutrition; water, sanitation and hygiene [WASH]; maternal, newborn, and child health [MNCH]), in addition to the family planning and reproductive health services that it originally featured). New data on 12 countries is available on the catalog webpage, and additional updates are expected soon.
From “Non” to “Oui”: How Community Health Workers are Revolutionizing Contraceptive Access, Use in Benin In 2016, the Ministry of Health and APC piloted a community-based access to injectables program in a rural town in Benin in order to train community health workers (CHWs) to provide information and contraceptives to women in hard-to-reach areas. CHWs are now preparing to deliver Sayana Press, a high-impact practice that has the potential to dramatically increase access to and use of family planning.
Health Worker Spotlight: Azalia Enock Mwashiuya, Premium Collector Azalia has worked in his role as premium collector for 13 years, a role that involves not just collecting premiums, but also educating villagers about the Community Health Fund and the value in joining.
Health Worker Spotlight: Edson Timothy Mwakanyamale, Busokelo District, Tanzania Edson Timothy Mwakanyamale was active in volunteer and administrative economic activities for many years in the Busokelo district before the village elected him to serve as chairperson of the Community Health Fund Users Association (CHFuA) six months ago.
Health Worker Spotlight: Recognizing the Importance of Occupational Therapy Ms. Wongkham Seepanya, a Vientiane-based pediatric physical therapist at the Center for Medical Rehabilitation, attended a two-month Occupational Therapy Training at Khon Kaen University, supported by the USAID-funded World Education TEAM Project.
Health Worker Spotlight: Mentorship for Capacity Development Sengdueane Phommy, or Lah as he is more commonly known, is a physical therapist at the Lao Friends Hospital for Children (LFHC) in Luang Prabang, Laos and has been involved in the care and rehabilitation of many inspiring cases at the hospital.
APC is excited to launch part one of a two-part compelling, original video series showcasing the work in Sierra Leone to improve primary health care services at health posts and community levels. This first video focuses on the efforts needed to rebuild these services as part of the post-Ebola transition in the country with health care workers at the center.
Health Workers Around the World
Join APC this week in celebrating health workers around the world! We asked our country offices and field workers why health workers matter to them. Take a look at what they had to say as well as some of our other health workers in action.
World Health Worker Week offers the opportunity to globally mobilize communities, partners, and policy makers in support of community health workers (CHWs). Advancing Partners and Communities (APC) works to advance global leadership in community health, support policies and programs surrounding community health workers, and ultimately improve health outcomes.
Community health workers are the foundation of the health system. Help us raise awareness of the challenges health workers face every day and honor their commitment to improve health outcomes in the communities they serve.
Community Health Systems Catalog
APC’s Community Health Systems Catalog documents policy guidance across 25 countries deemed priority by USAID’s Office of Population and Reproductive Health in detailed profiles and data sets. APC is currently updating the catalog to capture new and revised policies as they develop and is expanding the content to include other health areas (nutrition; water, sanitation and hygiene [WASH]; maternal, newborn, and child health [MNCH]), in addition to the family planning and reproductive health services that it originally featured). New data on 12 countries is available on the catalog webpage, and additional updates are expected soon.
Explore the catalog » Learn more about the catalog »
Blog
In 2016, the Ministry of Health and APC piloted a community-based access to injectables program in a rural town in Benin in order to train community health workers (CHWs) to provide information and contraceptives to women in hard-to-reach areas. CHWs are now preparing to deliver Sayana Press, a high-impact practice that has the potential to dramatically increase access to and use of family planning.
Spotlight on Health Workers
Dominican Republic
Yodalki, a health advocate who has worked for Grupo Este Amor in Eastern Dominican Republic for 14 years, uses his training in community counseling and support to fight for the rights of the LGBTI community and people living with HIV.
Sierra Leone
Mental health is severely underfunded and under-resourced in Sierra Leone. But these challenges have not stopped Sahr and Mohamed from helping to reduce treatment gaps.
Tanzania
Azalia has worked in his role as premium collector for 13 years, a role that involves not just collecting premiums, but also educating villagers about the Community Health Fund and the value in joining.
Winfrida Visulo has worked as midwife and nurse manager at the Itepula Dispensary in Mbozi district for 16 years.
Tumpe Mwakasungula has worked as a nurse midwife for 16 years in the Masukulu community of the Rungwe district and enjoys serving in the community.
Edson Timothy Mwakanyamale was active in volunteer and administrative economic activities for many years in the Busokelo district before the village elected him to serve as chairperson of the Community Health Fund Users Association (CHFuA) six months ago.
Leah Mwakinyuke always knew she wanted to be a nurse. She worked hard to overcome barriers to achieve her dream.
Laos
Ms. Wongkham Seepanya, a Vientiane-based pediatric physical therapist at the Center for Medical Rehabilitation, attended a two-month Occupational Therapy Training at Khon Kaen University, supported by the USAID-funded World Education TEAM Project.
As the only qualified doctor specializing in medical rehabilitation in Lao PDR, Associate Professor Dr. Bouathep Phoumindr is passionate about mentoring the next generation of doctors in physical medicine.
Vieng Xaiyasin, a nurse from Mahosot Hospital, attended a training held by World Education Laos to help support cleft lip and palate surgery patients improve their speech.
Sengdueane Phommy, or Lah as he is more commonly known, is a physical therapist at the Lao Friends Hospital for Children (LFHC) in Luang Prabang, Laos and has been involved in the care and rehabilitation of many inspiring cases at the hospital.
Guyana
Antonio, better known as ‘Sir Paul,’ is one of the few openly gay men in his rural community, serving as an advocate for members of the LGBT community in Guyana.
Shane's journey as a peer educator for HIV began after attending an HIV education session in 2008.
For the past 15 years, Elizabeth Mc Almont has worked tirelessly to provide HIV education and other related services to a wide cross-section of persons in Guyana.
Video: Post-Ebola Recovery in Sierra Leone
APC is excited to launch part one of a two-part compelling, original video series showcasing the work in Sierra Leone to improve primary health care services at health posts and community levels. This first video focuses on the efforts needed to rebuild these services as part of the post-Ebola transition in the country with health care workers at the center.
Health Workers Around the World
Join APC this week in celebrating health workers around the world! We asked our country offices and field workers why health workers matter to them. Take a look at what they had to say as well as some of our other health workers in action.