Zambia : The vital role of community health assistants in public health surveillance -

Read Time:1 Minute, 24 Second

Public health surveillance is the ongoing, systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of health-related data, essential for planning, implementing and evaluating public health practices.

It involves gathering data on health events, analyzing trends, and disseminating this information to those who can take action to prevent and control disease. Essentially, it’s the “eyes and ears” of public health helping to identify and respond to health threats.

Serving as a vital link between communities and health facilities, CHAs provide growth monitoring, vaccination screening, and important information on reproductive health to children and mothers.

They identify patients requiring referral to health facilities for more serious conditions and provide basic curative care for common illnesses like malaria and diarrhea.

CHAs are responsible for collecting health data from their communities, which helps in monitoring health trends and informing public health decisions.

By conducting community visits, they monitor health status, especially for individuals with conditions like HIV, and ensure adherence to treatment.

CHAs act as a vital link between communities and the formal health system, facilitating the flow of health information and services.

They provide a range of services, including maternal health, child health, and reproductive health, at the community level, making healthcare more accessible.

Their routine reporting on community health issues ensures timely data collection and helps identify health gaps, ensuring that information reaches the health system for action.

The Ministry of Health in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and UNICEF Zambia, is conducting a refresher training for CHAs in all ten provinces of the country. This training aims to equip CHAs with the necessary skills and knowledge to continue providing high-quality care to communities.