During the last week of May, a group of Community Health Workers in the Binah district started a three-week training to learn how to administer basic healthcare to their neighbors. They attended sessions on the Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses and how to conduct follow-up appointments for pregnant and postpartum women. For many of the Community Health Workers, this was the first time that they received training in healthcare.
We asked two Binah district Community Health Workers about their experience so far.
Agawè Céline Oupoule from the community of Solla
What motivated you to become a Community Health Worker?
I was motivated to become a Community Health Worker by my strong will to provide lifesaving care to people in my community. There are many people who die from diseases we can cure, and I want to contribute to curing them.
What interested you in the training? What did you learn?
I learned many things during this training. For example, I learned how to fill an Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses form and how to treat diseases like malaria, fever, cough, pneumonia, diarrhea, and malnutrition by following the correct doses for the treatment. I also learned how to recognize signs that should alert us to refer children to the health center for more advanced care. I know many people in my community who lost their children because they did not have money to bring their children to the hospital to get care, and the children died. This pained me a lot, but now with what I have learned during this training, I will be able to help people avoid this kind of situation.
What are you able to do as Community Health Worker after this training?
After this training, I can identify a sick child and recognize danger signs in a child and in women. These new skills will help me be a good Community Health Worker in my community.
What did you like the most during your training?
I am proud of myself now for having this knowledge that will help me provide care to children. First, I thought that it would be very hard for me because I knew nothing about health, but throughout the training, the concepts became easier for me to understand. I also got to practice the techniques multiple times. I am proud of myself because I can now treat basic disease in a child, and if the disease is beyond my abilities, I can refer so that the child can get better care and stay alive.
Lami Pafaliki from the community of Solla
What motivated you to become a Community Health Worker?
I was motivated to become a Community Health Worker to help to care for sick people in my community, mainly children under five, pregnant and postpartum women, and people living with HIV. I was also motivated by the fact that this work will also help me earn my living as a civil servant. This money will help me deal with the expenses of my family and contribute to the wellbeing of my household
What was interesting to you during the training?
There were many things we used to do in the past that made us sick, while there are simple practices that we must adopt to avoid illness, such as removing standing water to avoid malaria.
What did you like the most during your training?
I was mostly interested in all that I learned during the training. When I came to the training, I had no knowledge in healthcare. I did not know anything related to health, but now I am able to effectively treat basic childhood diseases. I am now able to tell the difference between a non-malaria fever and uncomplicated malaria from performing a rapid diagnostic test.
What impressed you the most during your training?
I was impressed by the atmosphere during the whole training. There were no problems, and we all ended the training successfully. It was great.