In a focused group activity, we discussed about the role of CHWs and their community activities by selecting two case studies which are Lady Health Workers in Pakistan and …show more content…
Based on the two case studies, the member of CHWs, as a health agent, tries to reduce health disparities through their integrated activities. Both in Indonesia and Pakistan, the CHWs provide a wide range of basic health services including health promotion and disease prevention with referral mechanism which involve community participation and empowerment. Such activities are relevant to the principle of integration and participation of PHC in which it focuses on community-based approach by applying integrated health services in order to address numerous different health problems in the community. Regarding multisectoral approach, the CHWs activities involve several sectors including education, infrastructure, and other non-health sectors to support the health program interventions. For example, the CHWs might find a problem in the quality of sanitation and water supply by visiting and observing the household. Eventually, such condition would be reported to the environmental services agency and the local water resources department to be followed up since those problems might negatively affect the health status of community. The two case studies provide evidence that CHWs could improve health access as a main notion of the equity principle. In …show more content…
I highly consider that the PHC principles would be applicable to my work since it is strongly correlated to the efforts of providing health services as well as improving health status of the community. As a planner in the Local Government institution, I have responsibilities to design health promotion programs through family planning and community empowerment strategies. According to the job description, I realize that my institution has to build a strong connection with various stakeholders both in health and non-health sectors to ensure the availability and continuity of the programs. The most important thing is we should know how to engage and empower the community in making health programs are more acceptable and trustworthy. Previously, I found my institution might not get people involved in the community by planning and organizing several health programs. As a consequence, those programs sometimes could not address the needs of community and tend to become ineffective health programs. Based on such experience, I do realize that the community participation and multisectoral approach as part of the PHC principles are highly needed to support health program planning and organizing