Last week, delegates from around the world convened for the 77th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, on the theme “All for health, health for all.” Members of the Last Mile Health and Africa Frontline First teams attended to advocate for paid, professionalized community health workers as a powerful driver of health for all. They underscored the pivotal role of community health workers and the challenges they face bringing care to the last mile.
“Every child’s death is a tragedy. Every preventable death is injustice. We are on a journey to turn hope into action and eventually into justice.” – Nan Chen, Africa Frontline First Co-Executive Director
Nan Chen delivered the closing remarks at “Reaching the unreached: Unlocking immunization equity through CHW investments,” an event hosted by the Community Health Impact Coalition and Gavi. He called for investment in innovations that better equip community health workers to provide care to their communities. He also called for wider collaboration among stakeholders, including governments, to ensure that funding and policies are aligned with national agendas.
Community health worker John Wabwire (left) speaks on a panel at the 77th World Health Assembly.
“Train us to be vaccinators…we will get to 100% vaccination.” – John Wabwire, community health worker and Africa Frontline First Catalytic Fund Advisory Committee member
John Wabwire represented his experience as one of too few community health workers in attendance at World Health Assembly 77. At “Health communications in an era of disinformation,” hosted by the Pandemic Action Network, he highlighted the trust between communities and community health workers and how this trust puts them in a strong position to combat health disinformation in their communities. In his call to action, John noted vaccination challenges in remote communities and the need to equip community health workers to bridge that gap.
Representatives from Last Mile Health, Africa Frontline First, and the Community Health Impact Coalition at the World Health Assembly.
At this year’s World Health Assembly, global leaders addressed the pressing issues of pandemic preparedness and response, immunization, and climate and health. Community health workers are on the frontlines of all three; integrating them into the health system is essential for the urgently needed progress ahead.
