Providing Doorstep Services to Underserved Rural Populations: Community Health Officers in Ghana


 
Language:

English

Authors:

Acquah S, Frelick G, Matikanya R

Publisher:

Capacity Project

Series/Journal Title:

Health Workforce Innovative Approaches and Promising Practices Study

Pages:

21

Description:

Through its Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) initiative, Ghana has deployed more than 310 auxiliary nurses in 53 of the country’s most deprived districts. These nurses, who receive two years of training and the title Community Health Officer (CHO), are part of an innovative approach that shifts staff from low-impact static health centers with limited outreach to high-impact mobile community-supported services. CHOs provide doorstep services to underserved rural populations and have improved access to health services for nearly one million Ghanaians (each CHO serves an average of 4,500 people), resulting in substantial improvements in community health. [executive summary]

Subject

Geographic Focus

Resource Type