Community health workers in Ebola prevention

The grassroots approach to healthcare is rooted in the investment in Community Health Workers (CHWs). The clinical approach to addressing Ebola is indisputably necessary to controlling it’s spread, but the role of the CHWs in the identification of cases and delivery of preventative education should not be underestimated. In a small community in, Kaffrine, Senegal, Peace Corps trained 10 CHWs on Ebola identification, transmission and prevention; with a focus on hand washing, as a preventative tool. The CHWs were also trained on behavior change communication and were then asked to deliver the health messages in a series of causeries the following week. This training occurred months after the sole case of Ebola in Senegal was discovered. Afterwards CHWs reported an increase in confidence in explaining and addressing Ebola in their communities. Along with Ebola education, over 150 individuals received information on proper hand washing practices and Tippy Tap construction. House visits were scheduled with these community members to ensure that taps were built correctly and hand washing continued to be practiced.  We anticipate that the messages delivered will be trusted and adhered to because they come from members of the community itself. We also hope to facilitate conversations about how CHWs in this community can be included in trainings provided by representatives of the Ministry of Health on issues of this capacity. While many CHWs lack clinical skills and expertise, they are still an invaluable and resourceful part of the solution.