Building the Capacity of Community Health Workers

This project aims to improve access to health information and basic health services particularly for child and maternal health by training 1 320 community health workers in vulnerable and marginalized communities in Tanzania Kenya and Uganda and 800 traditional health practitioners in South Africa. The community health workers help reduce the incidence of malaria HIV/AIDS and other preventable health problems by providing community health education and services to children and mothers. Five health clinics in Tanzania are being rehabilitated. To promote effectiveness and sustainability the African Medical and Research Foundation Canada (AMREF) is documenting best practices for training community health workers identifying the most effective methods for improving the integration of these health workers into the government's health systems and documenting lessons learned for strengthening health systems with community health workers. AMREF Canada works with local NGO partners government ministries (at the district level and national levels) community institutions and health experts in the field. AMREF Canada also promotes Canadian public engagement on maternal and child health through presentations social networking activities and media.