Health Extension Workers- The Frontline of Healthcare in Central Ethiopia
Ayalech, a HEW is using her digital tool to assess a young infant. [image description: a woman is holding a digital tool while a mother is holding her infant child]
Health extension workers, or HEWs, are frontline healthcare workers of Ethiopia, providing primary health care services at the community level. HEWs are trained to assess, classify, and treat common illnesses, like diarrhea, malaria, pneumonia, and malnutrition. They also provide antenatal care, postnatal care, family planning, and immunization services.
Tesfashwork, a HEW from Le-Zembaro Health Post, is assessing an infant with the support of her medical assessment digital tool. [image description: a healthcare worker is assessing an infant while their mother holds them.]
Our staff met Tesfashwork, an HEW working at the Le-Zembara health post, which serves 7,500 people in her community. Her dedication and experience are essential in addressing the community’s medical needs. HEWs are often burdened with large caseloads and even larger community needs. With the support of digital tools, supervision, and medication deliveries, HEWs are better able to diagnose, treat, and document medical issues. Tesfashwork shared,
“...digital tools allow me to better provide quality care to my patients, and ensure proper diagnosis and treatment protocols. I am grateful for all of the support from WEEMA, including the essential medications that are oftentimes out of stock.”
[image description: a health extension worker is using a digital tool to assess a patient.]
As a frontline healthcare worker, Tesfashwork has managed malaria outbreaks and provided essential care to infants diagnosed with malnutrition in her community. Like that of countless HEWs, Tesfashwork's role is vital to the community’s health and well-being, helping to bridge healthcare gaps for remote communities in Central Ethiopia. We are deeply grateful for Tesfashwork’s dedication and that of countless HEWs working in rural Central Ethiopia.