Community health workers programme in Luanda, Angola: an evaluation of the implementation process

Human Resources for Health

Daniela Riva Knauth⁵  Ana Lúcia Pontes³  Vera Joana Bornstein³  Maria Idalice Barbosa⁴  Márcia Maria Tavares Machado⁴  Míria Campos Lavor²  Antônio Carlile Holanda Lavor¹  Erno Harzheim⁵  Bruce Bartholow Duncan⁵  Camila Giugliani⁵ 

[1] Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil;UNICEF and the Ministry of Health in Angola, Luanda, Angola;Joaquim Venancio Politechnical Health School, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil;Community Health Department, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil;Social Medicine Department and Post-Graduate Programme on Epidemiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcellos, 2600/419, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

关键词: Brazil;    Angola;    International cooperation;    Primary health care;    Community health workers;   

Others  :  1135964
DOI  :  10.1186/1478-4491-12-68

 received in 2014-06-02, accepted in 2014-11-16,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

The Community Health Workers (CHWs) Programme was launched in Luanda, Angola, in 2007 as an initiative of the provincial government. The aim of this study was to assess its implementation process.

Methods

This is a case study with documental analysis, CHWs reports data, individual interviews and focus groups.

Results

Until June 2009, the programme had placed in the community 2,548 trained CHWs, providing potential coverage for 261,357 families. Analysis of qualitative data suggested an association of CHWs with improvements in maternal and child access to health care, as well as an increase in the demand for health services, generating further need to improve service capacity. Nevertheless, critical points for programme sustainability were identified.

Conclusions

For continuity and scaling up, the programme needs medium- and long-term technical, political and financial support. The results of this study may be useful in strengthening and reformulating the planning of the CHWs programme in Luanda and in Angola. Moreover, the lessons learned with this experience can also provide insight for the development of CHWs programmes in other parts of the world. By means of cooperation, Brazil has supported the implementation of this CHWs programme and can potentially contribute to its improvement.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Giugliani et al.; licensee BioMed Central.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

Figure 5.

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