Community Health Workers now empowered with basic skills of controlling pandemic diseases
Working with partners to prepare and respond to public health emergencies
Falaba – Mohamed Kamara, a Community Health Worker (CHW) of Dukuray village in Falaba District, northern Sierra Leone, walked briskly towards the home of Dauda Samura, a cattle farmer who was relaxing with his 6 months old baby on the veranda of their hut on a sunny afternoon.
“If you notice any unusual signs on your baby such as vomiting and frequent stooling, please immediately bring them to my attention so that I could examine the baby and take the necessary actions including referrals to the community health centre,” Mohamed said. “This is important since I have received training on how to deal with pandemic diseases in my community as I am the only CHW in this community.”
Sierra Leone’s health system is severely weakened and negatively affecting the lives of children and their families. It has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the world with 78 children dying out of every 1,000 live births and many do not live to see their fifth birthday. These mortalities could be avoided through high quality preventive and protective health, nutrition, and water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions. Furthermore, they could be treated using simple medications such as oral antibiotics, antimalarial treatments, and availability of oxygen in primary health care facilities to support live births.
UNICEF Sierra Leone, with support from the Republic of Korea, facilitated capacity building of over 2, 500 CHWs and other health workers in Falaba District, which is one of the most remote and underdeveloped districts in the country to deliver essential health services so that they could adequately prepare and respond to public health emergencies. Furthermore, medical oxygen machines have also been provided to four health centres in the district to resuscitate newborn babies and prevent them from dying at birth.
“I was trained on identifying potential pandemic diseases such as COVID-19, diarrhoea and cholera and support sick children with basic treatment and medical advice,” Mohamed added. “That training has empowered me a lot to contribute towards the reduction of maternal and child mortality as I also invariably advise families to keep seeking medical help from us [CHWs] and the health centres instead of relying on traditional herbs.”
“Working with CHWs has proven to be a good strategy in tackling pandemic diseases in communities since they are frontline health workers with thorough knowledge and understanding of their communities,” said Dr Hailemariam Lagasse, Health Specialist at UNICEF Sierra Leone. “They are more likely to gain the trust and confidence from their people which is crucial to the success of any health intervention or campaign.”
The training has had profound impacts not only on Mohamed but also on mothers and children under five in his community and neighbouring communities, as more people now know preventive ways of controlling and reporting pandemic diseases.
“The rate of under-five children’s deaths is now reduced in my community and many communities in Falaba due to the skills and knowledge we the CHWs have acquired on preventing pandemic diseases with support from UNICEF and the Republic of Korea,” Mohamed concluded as he packed his gadgets and record books into his roc sac and headed home.
