An article review of an article titled ‘Rwanda’s evolving community health worker system: a qualitative assessment of client and provider perspectives’ The authors – (Jeanine Condo et al, 2014)
Description of the topic
The first sentence is factual, relates to the title and is also strong enough to capture a reader's attention.
The sentence also gives a brief description of what the reader expects to learn by reading through the article.
Summary of existing knowledge
The following are some of bits of information that is widely known. It is well known that inadequacy of skilled health worker is one of the factors that impede access to treatment, especially people from impoverished backgrounds.
By serving as intermediaries between the community and the formal health system, CHWs are uniquely placed to serve resource-poor settings.
Aside from these facts the authors also carried a comprehensive review of the literature which do not only inform the leader about the CHW systems and health care system by extension in Rwanda and its fair share of challenges, but also brings into perspective similar challenges that are faced in other regions in developing countries.
Purpose of the study
The following excerpt from the article, clearly put this into perspective
‘…This study aims to qualitatively evaluate the CHW system in Rwanda from the perspective of CHWs themselves, as well as their beneficiaries. Moreover, the study seeks to identify factors and challenges that impact the CHW system and can inform system improvements.’
Description of the study
The aim of this study was to assess the capacity of CHWs and the factors affecting the efficiency and effectiveness of the CHW programme, as perceived by the CHWs and their beneficiaries
Contextual Information
‘…Rwanda is one of the only countries in the sub-Saharan region on track to achieve the health-related millennium development goals by 2015…’
Potential impact
CHWs have increasingly been utilized to alleviate the shortage of human resources and to address health needs such as offering intervention in maternal and child health in community. Research findings as well as the recommendations from Jeanine Condo et al, 2014 would be very crucial in giving policy makers insights into what they need to do for system improvements