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 Madeleine Ballard
A1 Emily Bancroft
A1 Josh Nesbit
A1 Ari Johnson
A1 Isaac Holeman
A1 Jennifer Foth
A1 Debbie Rogers
A1 Jane Yang
A1 James Nardella
A1 Helen Olsen
A1 Mallika Raghavan
A1 Raj Panjabi
A1 Rebecca Alban
A1 Serah Malaba
A1 Molly Christiansen
A1 Stephanie Rapp
A1 Jennifer Schechter
A1 Patrick Aylward
A1 Ash Rogers
A1 Jacques Sebisaho
A1 Clarise Ako
A1 Nandini Choudhury
A1 Carey Westgate
A1 Julius Mbeya
A1 Ryan Schwarz
A1 Matthew H Bonds
A1 Rehan Adamjee
A1 Julia Bishop
A1 Amanda Yembrick
A1 David Flood
A1 Meg McLaughlin
A1 Daniel Palazuelos
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.