Benjamin Mkapa Foundation Deploys 1,072 New Community Health Workers in Four Regions

Benjamin Mkapa Foundation Deploys 1,072 New Community Health Workers in Four Regions

Benjamin Mkapa Foundation (BMF) through financial support from the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) through UK Aid, has deployed a total of 1,072Community Health Workers in 10 councils of Mwanza (346), Arusha (221), Kilimanjaro (279) and Pwani (226) regions.

BMF officiated the deployment process including orientation and signing of contracts for all the newly recruited Community Health Workers based in Mwanza region while the same process is ongoing in the other three beneficiary regions. The launch was attended by the Regional Administrative Secretary, Mr. Emmanuel Tuluba on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, President’s Office, Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG), The Ag. Regional Medical Officer, Dr. Silas Wambura, District Medical Officers and other representatives from the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children (MoHCDGEC) and President’s Office, Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG).

In his opening remarks, the Regional Administrative Secretary acknowledged the newly recruited Community Health Workers for willing to serve their communities in provision of various health related services. He also acknowledged BMF and the respective Government representatives for preparing the orientation to the Community Health Workers who are the linkage between the communities and strengthening of primary health care in the Country. He also insisted to Regional and Council Health Management Teams (RHMTs/CHMTs) to monitor the Community Health Workers activities so as to see progress on not only the investment done but on health service provision in general.

The Regional Medical Officer also had an opportunity to speak to the newly recruited Community Health Workers where he acknowledged the support from BMF in improving health services within the Region through the Community Health Workers.

“Currently, we have 577 Community Health Workers in Mwanza deployed with the support of Mkapa Foundation,” He said. He also instructed Community Health Workers to use the working tools provided as they are intended to be used.

Additionally, The Chief Executive Officer of Benjamin Mkapa Foundation, Dr. Ellen Mkondya-Senkoro explained that BMF since its establishment in 2006, has continued to partner with the Government, in its efforts to strengthen quality health services. Deployment of Community Health Workers has been done in phases, and with the recent deployment of these 1,072, they make a total of 2,021 Community Health Workers supported by BMF to continue with provision of community-based health services including reproductive and child health, TB/ HIV/AIDS, nutrition and outbreaks such as Corona. She further explained that the deployment of Community Health Workers follows the Community Based Health Strategy and Policy Guideline of 2020 which was launched by Hon. Ummy Mwalimu, the Minister for Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children as well as the President’s Office, Regional Administration and Local Government for the great contributions they made to accomplish this important task today. I would like to acknowledge that, we have had enough cooperation in ensuring that all employment procedures are followed”. She said

Key roles of Community Health Workers were noted to include but not limited to enhancing community and facility linkages for improving accessibility to quality health services, retention to health care, health promotion and prevention services-including health seeking behavior, promoting enrollment to community health insurance, provision of community based basic essential health services, community mobilization to enhance sustainable access to quality services, support provision of community health education and palliative services provisions including timely referral of eligible cases and facilitate the collection and sharing of community level public health and social welfare data for decision making.