Advocating for Community Health Workers: Ensuring Recognition, Support, and Policy Change
At NAWEC, we take the role of Community Health Workers (CHWs) seriously. Through their dedication, significant milestones have been achieved globally in the pursuit of Health for All. However, despite their vital contributions, CHWs remain largely excluded from decision-making, particularly in areas that affect their work. Additionally, less than 15% of CHWs in Africa and other Low and Middle Income Regions (LMICs) are properly remunerated.
We are working with CHWs to:
- Ensure their recognition and integration into the healthcare workforce.
- Advocate for policy changes, including:
- Clear definition of CHW roles, responsibilities, and qualifications.
- Improved funding for CHW programs.
- Training and certification standards.
- Ongoing supervision and support.
Our involvement in CHW advocacy is essential for recognizing the vital role CHWs play in healthcare delivery. By securing necessary resources and support, we aim to create an enabling environment that allows CHWs to serve their communities effectively, contributing to improved health outcomes.
While our advocacy and policy agenda is still in its early stages, we are already making remarkable progress. We are leading the formation of the National CHW Association, with over 600 CHWs already part of the movement. Additionally, we are spearheading the formation and registration of the Uganda NGO Coalition for organizations working in the community health space.
To further advance CHWs’ role in advocacy, we took the lead in rolling out the CHW advocacy training course in Uganda. Over 400 CHWs have enrolled and completed the course, which was officially launched on 15th September 2023. The launch event, organized by Nama Wellness, was attended by officials from MoH-Uganda, Mukono District Health Office, Nama Sub County, and other partners, including CHIC, Stanford Centre for Health Education, Komo Learning Centres, Living Goods, Mother2Mother, Health Entrepreneurs, and ACCESS-Uganda.
