The emergence of community health worker programmes in the late apartheid era in South Africa: An historical analysis.

Social Science & Medicine
Nadja van GinnekenVirginia Berridge

Abstract

There is re-emerging interest in community health workers (CHWs) as part of wider policies regarding task-shifting within human resources for health. This paper examines the history of CHW programmes established in South Africa in the later apartheid years (1970s-1994) - a time of innovative initiatives. After 1994, the new democratic government embraced primary healthcare (PHC), however CHW initiatives were not included in their health plan and most of these programmes subsequently collapsed. Since then a wide array of disease-focused CHW projects have emerged, particularly within HIV care. Thirteen oral history interviews and eight witness seminars were conducted in South Africa in April 2008 with founders and CHWs from these earlier programmes. These data were triangulated with written primary sources and analysed using thematic content analysis. The study suggests that 1970s-1990s CHW programmes were seen as innovative, responsive, comprehensive and empowering for staff and communities, a focus which respondents felt was lost within current programmes. The growth of these earlier projects was underpinned by the struggle against apartheid. Respondents felt that the more technical focus of current CHW programmes under-utilise...Continue Reading

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Citations

Mar 14, 2012·Health Research Policy and Systems·Karen DanielsKarin C Ringsberg
May 18, 2013·American Journal of Public Health·Sarah Wood PallasElizabeth H Bradley
Apr 25, 2012·Journal of Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Medical Sciences = Hua Zhong Ke Ji Da Xue Xue Bao. Yi Xue Ying De Wen Ban = Huazhong Keji Daxue Xuebao. Yixue Yingdewen Ban·Wanli HouZuxun Lu
Dec 20, 2014·International Journal of Palliative Nursing·Panit KrongyuthPimpan Silpasuwan
Nov 21, 2017·New Solutions : a Journal of Environmental and Occupational Health Policy : NS·Zara TraffordChristopher J Colvin
Feb 25, 2017·Pediatric Rheumatology Online Journal·Laura B LewandowskiChristiaan Scott
Jul 5, 2017·Human Resources for Health·Jan-Walter De NeveThomas J Bossert
Sep 25, 2017·Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene·Beena ThomasN Karikalan
Oct 6, 2017·Health Policy and Planning·Emmanuelle DaviaudMark Tomlinson
Oct 14, 2021·Health Research Policy and Systems·Christopher J ColvinHenry B Perry
Oct 14, 2021·Health Research Policy and Systems·Simon LewinHenry B Perry
Nov 9, 2017··Darelle van GreunenAlida Veldsman

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