Community based health workers : human resources

This chapter examines the use of various categories of Community Based Health Workers as first line health workers in dealing with important health and social issues, for example with Tuberculosis and HIV / AIDS. It attempts to answer certain key issues : Are Community Based Health Workers valuable and cost effective? What should be their role? To whom should they be accountable? In what way should they be selected, trained, supervised and remunerated, if at all? What methods should be used for monitoring and evaluating Community Based Health Workers? The chapter is based on a brief review of published literature followed by a short survey that was circulated via electronic discussion groups and e-mailed to key informants around the country. This was supplemented by direct discussion with participants in a few programmes.