A day in the life of a Village Health Worker helping fight COVID-19
“I have always been educating communities on basic hygiene, even before COVID-19 and this role has earned me and fellow village health worker’s the name “VaUtsanana”.
Francesca Mashoko, of Bikita in Masvingo Province has served her community for more than a decade providing lifesaving health information and care, and she is among first responders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As a Village Health Worker (VHW) in Zimbabwe, Francesca often braves the scorching weather in her district, reaching every household in her village, to educate communities on how to keep families safe and healthy during the pandemic.
Despite the challenging conditions, the mother of one radiates energy to serve her community and support young women and children to navigate primary health care services offered at Murwira clinic.
“I have always been educating communities on basic hygiene, even before COVID-19 and this role has earned me and fellow village health worker’s the name “VaUtsanana”, meaning Hygiene Champions,” she said.
“Over the years the community has appreciated the importance of washing hands with soap after visiting the toilet and before eating. But with this new COVID, people need to be constantly reminded to wash hands more often.”
Through UNICEF supported capacity development, Francesca was among the first group of Community Health Workers to be trained on how COVID-19 is transmitted and the key prevention measures that communities need to adopt. Through support from nurses at health facilities, district and provincial leadership working closely with partners such as UNICEF, Francesca’s confidence to face the pandemic has been boosted.
Partners working together to help prevent COVID-19
The VHWs are trained through the Ministry of Health and Child Care, in collaboration with UNICEF through funding from the Health Development Fund (HDF) supported by UK Aid, EU, SIDA-Sweden, Irish Aid and GAVI.
VHWs deliver health services to the communities by conducting health promotion services ranging from maternal, neonatal and child health, nutrition, WASH related information and management of common childhood illnesses.
Through HDF support, Zimbabwe has seen increased coverage of key reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and nutrition services, leading to better outcomes for children and women. During the COVID-19 pandemic, VHWs such as Francesca are being supported to continue interfacing with their communities, disseminating lifesaving messages to prevent the spread of the disease.
12 years of service
In the 12 years that she has been a VHW, Mashoko has also mobilized pregnant women, young mothers and the general community to access health services offered at Murwira Village clinic,
“Most of the children I have followed up and helped provide care for are now all grown up and they call me gogo- I am the community granny, I just love to see children thrive and grow,” Francesca said.
Today, Francesca values her role as she is among the first to know about disease outbreaks and how to prevent them in the community. She folds her arms on her chest as she reflects on the journey that she has travelled with her community during this COVID-19 pandemic. From early phases of denial to gradually coming to terms with COVID-19 and the new measures to physically distance and stay safe.
“When people heard that the virus was now in our country, many dismissed it as only affecting the towns and continued with their normal life,” she said.
She carries herself with confidence, knowing that her role is to deliver lifesaving information and motivate her community to revisit and learn about practices that increase the risk of transmission of COVID-19. As a member of the Murwira Health Centre Committee, Mashoko also plays an important role in relaying feedback and information about health services and COVID-19, from the community to health authorities and channels responses back to the community.
“At first, people in my area found it difficult to understand why we now need to keep away from each other”, Francesca said, adding that her community is slowly getting used to stay apart at funerals and public gatherings. “I always tell people that the times have changed and for now we need to do things differently.”
While stress and anxiety over COVID-19 can be overwhelming to communities, Francesca is unfazed by the challenges brought by the pandemic, and she draws from experience during a previous cholera outbreak.
“We haven’t experienced any COVID-19 related deaths here but we have to remain alert and keep it that way,” added Francesca. She commends her community for being receptive to the prevention messages she shares.
But COVID-19 has changed the way she interfaces with the community during home visits. A bottle of sanitizer and a cloth mask have become her crucial accompaniments as she conducts door to door visits to her clients.
“The trainings gave us information on how we can conduct home visits safely during COVID-19 outbreak,” she said.
She is determined to see her community overcome COVID-19 but is concerned about the affordability of masks, soap and sanitizers for practicing the promoted preventative measures.
Despite the challenges brought about by COVID-19, Francesca is unwavering in her commitment to community health. It’s a journey that was sparked by her passionate determination towards the health and well-being of her community, her family, and herself.
