Roles and Responsibilities of Community Health Workers CHW

Roles and Responsibilities of Community Health Workers (CHW) within the overall DRM system in Pakistan National Disaster Management Practitioners, Islamabad, Pakistan Module 1 Session 1. 4

Learning Objectives At the end of the session, participants will be able to: • Understand the concept of CHW • Explain the roles, responsibilities of the CHW in the overall DRM system of Pakistan

Disaster and Community Health Workers(CHW) Today’s communities are at greater risk, due to; • increase in number and frequency of emergencies • changing hazards (e. g. conflicts and the effects of climate change) and • growing vulnerabilities (e. g. rapid and unplanned urbanization, lack of resources and poverty)

To address these challenges Community based Health Workers are the front line force of protection against emergencies – including disasters and other crises because they; • have local knowledge of local risks which is necessary for addressing the actual needs of the community

• able to take local actions with the help of community to prevent risks at the source, by avoiding exposure to local hazards • can help the community to prepare and wellorganized to reduce risks and the impact of emergencies • can save many lives in the first hours after an emergency before external help arrives

Who are they? The community based health workforce comprises all those at the community level who can contribute in promoting health by providing preventive & promotional health care

Community-based Health Workforce • Community health workers (CHW) who are appropriately trained and accredited according to National policy • Trained volunteers (e. g. those affiliated with the Red Cross or Red Crescent Societies) • Social moblizers of community-based organizations that promote health through behaviour change communications, health education and social mobilization • Actors from key sectors (e. g. water, sanitation and hygiene, agriculture, food security, shelter and education) that contribute to promoting and improving the health of communities

Role of Community Health Workers in DRM • The role of the CHW in emergencies will depend on their level of capacities i. e. trainings, national policy and health service delivery, and support for health-system at the community level • In addition to provide Primary Health Care (PHC) services, the CHW are important in all phases of community based disaster risk management

Before an Emergency/Disaster • Contribute to risk assessments to identify hazards, vulnerabilities, high risk groups and capacities • Contribute to the detection, prevention (e. g. preventing an influenza epidemic by reducing exposure to infected animals) and control of diseases of epidemic potential • Provide risk awareness and health education (e. g. by promoting clean water, sanitation and hygiene), and contribute to social mobilization

• Contribute to emergency preparedness planning for households, communities and health systems (e. g. risk communication, early warning, community emergency response) • Resources like equipment and materials needed for the management of a disaster should be in place • Coordinating with their community disaster risk management team members

During an Emergency /Disaster • Contribute to community needs assessments and ongoing monitoring during emergencies • Provide priority PHC services including referral, behaviour change communication, and health promotion and education • Conduct community-based surveillance and early warning of diseases of epidemic potential • Provide first aid and basic life support • Provide psychosocial services, community support and psychological first aid

After an Emergency /Disaster • Continue to provide critical PHC and emergency health services • Help re-establish and strengthen pre-existing health services • Provide community-based rehabilitation • Help to integrate prevention and preparedness into community recovery and development programs