Ethiopia Health Extension Program: An Institutionalized Community Approach for Universal Health Coverage

Abstract

World Bank Studies are published to communicate the results of the Bank's work to the development community with the least possible delay. The manuscript of this paper therefore has not been prepared in accordance with the procedures appropriate to formally edited texts. This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. Nothing herein shall constitute or be considered to be a limitation upon or waiver of the privileges and immunities of The World Bank, all of which are specifically reserved.

The role of maternal health care services as predictors of time to modern contraceptive use after childbirth in Northwest Ethiopia: Application of the shared frailty survival analysis

“…The Health Extension Program in Ethiopia, which brought family planning services to the community where they live, might be another reason for the lack of variation between rich and poor women. Health extension workers are deployed in pairs, two for every kebele, and affiliated with each kebele's health post to provide key health services at a community level, including family planning services since launched in 2003 [39].…”

Promoting equity in maternal, newborn and child health – how does gender factor in? Perceptions of public servants in the Ethiopian health sector

“…The Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) Health Sector Transformation Plan has committed to strengthen gender equality and women empowerment through a number of initiatives [29]. Notably, the country's flagship Health Extension Program, launched in 2003, brought women into the paid health workforce and onto kebele (village) councils as community-based Health Extension Workers (HEWs) [30]. The Women's Development Army (WDA), a group of female community members who support the work of the HEW, was established in 2010 [31].…”

Participatory action research to pilot a model of mental health service user involvement in an Ethiopian rural primary healthcare setting: study protocol

“…The health posts are staffed by a pair of community health workers called health extension workers (HEWs). The HEWs are high school graduates with one year of training in sixteen packages of care which cover four main areas: disease prevention and control, family health, hygiene and environmental sanitation, and health education and communication [79].A minority of HEWs have received training in mental health as part of their upgrading to level IV.…”