BACKGROUND In Nigeria, the shortage of health workers is worst at the primary health care (PHC) level, especially in rural communities. And the responsibility for PHC - usually the only form of formal health service available in rural communities - is shared among the three tiers of government (federal, state, and local governments). In addition, the responsibility for community engagement in P...

BACKGROUND It has been widely acknowledged that well-planned and executed communication programmes can contribute to achieving malaria prevention and treatment goals. This however requires a good understanding of current sources and roles of information used by both health workers and communities. The study aimed at determining health workers' and community members' sources, value and use of in...

• Tertiary level: ophthalmologists (there are about 40 in the country) and ophthalmic nurses (there are two), working at national and regional referral hospitals. • Secondary/district level: ophthalmic clinical officers (OCOs). There are over 200 in the country. • Primary level: nurses, midwives and other health workers who are trained in eye care and who work at health centres; they are known ...

INTRODUCTION Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers (hereafter called health workers) can play a major role in facilitating culturally appropriate health care delivery and program development through the acquisition of improved skills in the planning, monitoring and evaluation of these programs (RCB). However, many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities remai...

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to compare knowledge on the part of health workers in public and private health facilities about prescribing and dispensing of an artemether-lumefantrine combination, 3 years after moving from sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine to artemether-lumefantrine as a first-line treatment for nonsevere malaria in Tanzania. METHODS A cross-sectional survey of a convenien...

Health extension programs represent an opportunity for practice-based research networks (PBRNs) and primary care practices to develop collaborations reaching beyond the clinic walls to address the upstream social determinants of health and engage in community-based research. The Health Extension Regional Officers (HEROs) program at the University of New Mexico described in this issue of the JAB...

BACKGROUND Pre-eclampsia is a leading cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Early detection and treatment have been instrumental in reducing case fatality in high-income countries. To achieve this in a low-income country, like Nigeria, community health workers who man primary health centres must have adequate knowledge and skills to identify and provide emergency care f...