Project profile — Building the Capacity of Community Health Workers



Overview 

CA-3-S064589001
$2,332,159
Amref Health Africa in Canada (21045)
2011-02-08 - 2014-06-30
Closed
Global Affairs Canada
YFMInternaAssistPartnershp&Programing Br

Country / region 

• Kenya (21.00%)
• South Africa (25.00%)
• Uganda (20.00%)
• Tanzania (34.00%)

Sector 

• Health, General: Health policy and administrative management (12110) (15.00%)
• Basic health care:
Basic health care (12220) (5.00%)
Basic health infrastructure (12230) (5.00%)
Health education (12261) (10.00%)
Malaria control (12262) (10.00%)
Health personnel development (12281) (35.00%)
• Population Policies/Programmes And Reproductive Health: STD control including HIV/AIDS (13040) (10.00%)
• Government And Civil Society, General: Democratic participation and civil society (15150) (10.00%)

Policy marker 

• Gender equality (not targeted)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (significant objective)
• Youth Issues (significant objective)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)

Description 

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.

Expected results 

N/A

Results achieved 

Results achieved as of the end of the project June 2014 include: In Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda, (i) over 1,500 community health workers were trained in the delivery of essential health services; (ii) more than 100,000 household visits/sessions were conducted by community health workers after they completed their training; (iii) more than 26,000 referrals were made by community health workers connecting sick individuals to services provided by the formal health system; (iv) approximately 161,300 individuals were reached with public health information through public forums and community dialogue sessions; and (v) more than 12,000 insecticide treated bed nets (ITN) used to prevent malaria were distributed by community health workers leading to an increase usage of ITN, with 86.2% of children under five and 79.6% of women using it in program-targeted areas. These results are contributing to improving the health of rural, poor, and vulnerable, especially women and children, in Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda. It has reduced caseloads of preventable and treatable diseases in targeted communities and is also improving people’s access to improved quality health care services and good information about their health.

Budget and spending 


Original budget $0
Planned disbursement $0
Transactions
Transaction Date Type Value
29-08-2014 Disbursement $95,989
Country percentages by sector
Type of finance Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation
Collaboration type Bilateral
Type of aid Contributions to specific-purpose programmes and funds managed by implementing partners