How should community health workers in fragile contexts be supported: qualitative evidence from Sierra Leone, Liberia and Democratic Republic of Congo

Community health workers (CHWs) are critical players in fragile settings, where staff shortages are particularly acute, health indicators are poor and progress towards Universal Health Coverage is slow. Like other health workers, CHWs need support to contribute effectively to health programmes and promote health equity. Yet the evidence base of what kind of support works best is weak. This paper presents evidence from three fragile settings—Sierra Leone, Liberia and Democratic Republic of Congo – on managing CHWs, and synthesises recommendations for best approaches to support this critical cadre.

Access this paper on the Human Resources for Health journal website.

Authors

Joanna Raven, Haja Wurie, Ayesha Idriss, Abdulai Jawo Bah, Amuda Baba, Gartee Nallo, Karsor K. Kollie, Laura Dean, Rosie Steege, Tim Martineau & Sally Theobald

Image: Single mother, North Kivu, DRC. Oxfam East Africa via Flickr