Human Resources for Health in Maternal, Neonatal and - HRH ...

community leaders, shop vendors of health products, and traditional health practitioners
(2006). Other informal workers are doulas, assistants who provide various forms of nonmedical
and non-midwifery support (physical and emotional) in the childbirth process.
School teachers also play a role in the provision of sexual and reproduction education.
Mother have been referred to as health care workers (Chaudhuri 1991) highlighting the need
to improve their knowledge and skills as well as those of fathers and their peer group.
Clinical guidelines for skilled birth attendance and pregnancy produced by Family and
Community Health (2002) outline appropriate roles and functions for the SBA as well as the
woman, family member, TBA and volunteer (see Appendix 2). In addition, community
people have been included in human resource development plans in HIV MCH programmes
(McLean 2005) highlighting the importance of resources within the community itself.
Summary
Knowledge of all aspects of the workforce engaged in MNRH at the community level is
critical as it is often the first point of contact women and their families have with the health
system. Ensuring the effective delivery of community care and emergency referral to
facilities requires decision making which is informed by assessments of staff numbers, their
performance and the environment in which they work. Improving the performance of staff at
community level is needed alongside the strengthening of other aspects of the health system
in order to achieve MDG5.
This section has established the following
Cadres in MNRH at community level can be grouped by the categories of nursing and
midwifery, community health workers, traditional and cultural practitioners and lay or
peripheral workers.
There is some evidence that demonstrates the important contribution that these cadres
have made to MNRH. However there are a number of gaps.
Little is known about: how these practitioners are managed and trained, what
interventions enhance their performance, at what levels and areas these interventions
should be targeted, the support and resources required to implement them and how
they can be scaled up.
There is a need for rigorous documentation of HRH practice in MNRH at community
level so success stories can be shared and transferred.
Addressing knowledge gaps will contribute to enhanced planning for HR in MNRH at
community level and help to justify the need for change and additional resources.
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