What We DoIssuesGlobal HealthGlobal Health Resource CenterFrontline Champions: Investing in Community Health Workers to Save Lives
Written by Nico D’Auterive, United Nations Foundation
Last updated March 31, 2025
Every year, during the first week of April, World Health Worker Week (WHWW), led by the Frontline Health Workers Coalition, shines a global spotlight on the essential contributions of health workers — from nurses and doctors to lab technicians and community health workers (CHWs). This year’s theme, Health Workers: The Heart of Health, underscores their indispensable role in building resilient health systems, driving sustainable development, and, most importantly, saving lives.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has projected a staggering shortage of 11 million health workers by 2030, predominantly affecting low- and lower-middle-income countries. This shortfall is at risk of being further exacerbated by declining global health funding. Yet, investing in the health workforce is not just a moral imperative — it’s a proven economic and public health strategy. Studies indicate that strengthening the health workforce could extend global life expectancy by up to 3.7 years and prevent 60 million premature deaths by 2030. Moreover, every dollar invested in health workers generates an estimated ninefold return, contributing to economic growth and societal well-being.
The backbone of a strong health workforce is composed of CHWs — trusted community members who provide lifesaving services and improve access to health care systems for underserved populations. Operating in remote areas and among vulnerable communities that lack access to traditional health services, CHWs educate families about disease prevention, provide essential health services, and track emerging health threats, playing a critical role in the fight against infectious diseases.
CHWs have been described as “the last mile” of health care delivery, reaching communities that would otherwise be left behind. Recruited locally, they bring deep cultural and linguistic knowledge to their work, fostering trust and ensuring health interventions are both effective and inclusive. Depending on their training and local policies, CHWs provide a range of services — from health education and referrals to administering vaccines, providing tests for diseases like malaria and HIV, and dispensing basic treatments.
Despite their profound impact, CHW programs remain critically underfunded. UNICEF estimates that a $2 billion investment is required to strengthen CHW programs in sub-Saharan Africa, which could yield over $21 billion in economic benefits. However, when budget cuts arise, community health initiatives are often among the first to be slashed.
In Uganda, where CHWs — known as Village Health Team members (VHTs) — play a pivotal role in health care delivery, their impact is undeniable. Across the country, 280,000 VHTs work in teams to provide home-based care and health education, particularly for maternal and child health.
In a special report, Bidibidi’s Unsung Heroes: Delivering Healthcare to the Doorsteps of Refugee Families, the UN Foundation’s United to Beat Malaria campaign highlights the work of VHTs in the Bidibidi refugee settlement, home to over 200,000 South Sudanese refugees. Demand for maternal and pediatric care — including malaria management, immunizations, and nutrition support — is overwhelming, and VHTs are on the frontlines meeting these needs.
Gibson Mandela, a South Sudanese refugee and VHT, works to improve health outcomes in Bidibidi.
“I love to work for the community because when you see community members go through these challenges, and it’s happening all around you — the situation is not good. So that inspired me to promote community health by sensitizing them on preventive measures,” Mandela said. “I love to support them on how to prevent malaria by encouraging them to use their mosquito nets, do slashing [of bushes and shrubs] around the homes and then covering up stagnant water.”
Mandela’s work extends beyond education. Through the Integrated Community Case Management (iCCM) program, he is trained to diagnose and treat malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhea in children under five years old — significantly reducing severe illness.
By proactively addressing malaria cases in the community, VHTs are not just saving lives — they are also reducing the burden on local health facilities, where malaria has long been the leading cause of outpatient visits. They also play an important role in detecting disease outbreaks.
“We support VHTs to report any health event in the community, including diseases that are prone to epidemics,” said Ojjo Zubeir, Yumbe’s District Health Officer. “We’ve trained them to do surveillance, case monitoring, of malaria and other diseases, and this has really built our capacity for disease detection.”
From April 1-7, you can champion the lifesaving work of CHWs like Gibson Mandela by amplifying their stories online. Use the hashtags #WHWWeek and #HealthWorkersSaveLives to spread awareness. Explore the World Health Worker Week Toolkit for shareable graphics, key messages, and sample social media posts. Together, we can advocate for sustained investment in CHWs and ensure that no community is left behind.
Nico D’Auterive is a Senior Global Health Communications & Advocacy Officer at the UN Foundation. Prior to joining the Foundation, Nico oversaw global, national, and local communications campaigns in the US and abroad with various NGOs, including Doctor’s Without Borders (MSF) and FXB International. She has worked in Haiti, Ukraine, Nigeria, and Colombia. Nico holds a master’s in international development and global health from the Paris Institute of Political Studies (SciencesPo) and an undergraduate degree in Anthropology from Columbia University.
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