RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Prioritising the role of community health workers in the COVID-19 response
JF BMJ Global Health
JO BMJ Global Health
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP e002550
DO 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-002550
VO 5
IS 6
A1 Ballard, Madeleine
A1 Bancroft, Emily
A1 Nesbit, Josh
A1 Johnson, Ari
A1 Holeman, Isaac
A1 Foth, Jennifer
A1 Rogers, Debbie
A1 Yang, Jane
A1 Nardella, James
A1 Olsen, Helen
A1 Raghavan, Mallika
A1 Panjabi, Raj
A1 Alban, Rebecca
A1 Malaba, Serah
A1 Christiansen, Molly
A1 Rapp, Stephanie
A1 Schechter, Jennifer
A1 Aylward, Patrick
A1 Rogers, Ash
A1 Sebisaho, Jacques
A1 Ako, Clarise
A1 Choudhury, Nandini
A1 Westgate, Carey
A1 Mbeya, Julius
A1 Schwarz, Ryan
A1 Bonds, Matthew H
A1 Adamjee, Rehan
A1 Bishop, Julia
A1 Yembrick, Amanda
A1 Flood, David
A1 McLaughlin, Meg
A1 Palazuelos, Daniel
YR 2020
UL http://gh.bmj.com/content/5/6/e002550.abstract
AB COVID-19 disproportionately affects the poor and vulnerable. Community health workers are poised to play a pivotal role in fighting the pandemic, especially in countries with less resilient health systems. Drawing from practitioner expertise across four WHO regions, this article outlines the targeted actions needed at different stages of the pandemic to achieve the following goals: (1) PROTECT healthcare workers, (2) INTERRUPT the virus, (3) MAINTAIN existing healthcare services while surging their capacity, and (4) SHIELD the most vulnerable from socioeconomic shocks. While decisive action must be taken now to blunt the impact of the pandemic in countries likely to be hit the hardest, many of the investments in the supply chain, compensation, dedicated supervision, continuous training and performance management necessary for rapid community response in a pandemic are the same as those required to achieve universal healthcare and prevent the next epidemic.