Africa Scales-Up Integrated Community Health Worker Programmes

11 December 2024
Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Addis Ababa)
press release

The AU Member States of the African Union Commission and Africa CDC are to develop an African Union Framework to fast-track the implementation of the 2017 decision on Community Health Workers by 2030.

The framework will establish a robust accountability mechanism, creating a clear avenue to hold Member States and partners accountable at the highest level.

"The Community Health Workforce Programme is a critical component of Africa CDC's efforts to strengthen health systems across the continent and improve the well-being of all Africans. Community Health is the number one strategic priority in Africa CDC's Strategic Plan (2023-2027)," said Dr. Raji Tajudeen, Africa CDC Deputy Director General.

Senior officials from over 42 African Union Member States, representatives from Ministries of Health, the Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs, and Social Development of the African Union Commission, key partners, and relevant stakeholders met for the Third High-Level Meeting in Addis Ababa from November 20-22, 2024.

The meeting focused on strengthening coordinated efforts to accelerate the scaling-up of integrated, institutionalized, and sustainable community health worker (CHW) programmes across Africa.

"We must leverage global momentum, optimize resources, and collectively build a fairer, healthier world for every child across Africa, with CHWs playing a central role in this transformation," said Dr. Laila Gad, UNICEF.

The delegates unanimously endorsed the Africa CDC Community Health Strategic Priorities (2023-2027), which outlines the goals, outcomes, and roles of Member States and partners in strengthening CHW programmes to achieve transformative health outcomes.

This strategy sets a clear roadmap for scaling up integrated, institutionalized, and sustainable CHW programmes to achieve universal health coverage and resilient health systems in Africa. The delegates also evaluated the progress of reviewing and assessing the Continental Coordination Mechanism (CCM), established during the Second High-Level Meeting last year and provided clear recommendations to enhance the harmonisation of CHW efforts across Africa.

Read the original article on Africa CDC.

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