By Allison Kozicharow; Edited by Elizabeth Fine
“I have profound respect for these CHWs, their leadership and the clinicians who train them using WiRED’s comprehensive curriculum. The WiRED CHW program powerfully demonstrates the transformative potential of rigorous training in preparing health paraprofessionals to serve communities often overlooked by traditional healthcare systems.”
Each month WiRED International’s community health workers (CHWs) in Kisumu, Kenya provide health services to people suffering from disease. They also teach classes on health education that draw crowds of local residents — all eager to listen and benefit from CHW-imparted knowledge.
WiRED Executive Director Gary Selnow, Ph.D., just returned from a trip to Kisumu where he praised the success of the CHW program and the extraordinary team members who carry out the work in this low-resource community:
Having visited Kisumu for many years, I believe this year provided the strongest confirmation yet of the immense value that trained CHWs bring to populations where health care is scarce. I have profound respect for these CHWs, their leadership and the clinicians who train them using WiRED’s comprehensive curriculum. The WiRED CHW program powerfully demonstrates the transformative potential of rigorous training in preparing health paraprofessionals to serve communities often overlooked by traditional healthcare systems.
Our team of paraprofessional CHWs provide us with photos and stories that bring their work to life. Although mental health and endemic diseases topped the list of health-related topics this November, the following CHW testimonials illustrate the general work they do to promote prevention and encourage healthy lifestyles.
Knowing the Basics of First Aid
It is very important for anyone doing sports to maintain good health and acquire basic knowledge on how to take care of themselves in case of injury during sports activities. This month I met a group of young footballers who aspire to become professional athletes. To my surprise the team did not have a doctor or any person trained in first aid. I walked them through the basics of first aid and emphasized that athletic talent can vanish from a sports injury and can cost them any possible future in the professional sports world.
—CHW Zachary Omondi
Teaching the Importance of Physical Exercise
People often ignore physical exercise as vital to their health. I met a middle-aged woman who was overweight. She could not breathe well after walking a distance of only 1 kilometer. I drew her into discussion and learned that she uses a motorbike even to go a short distance. I advised her on starting physical training every day beginning with 15 minutes. She took my advice and now is able to walk 5 kilometers without any difficulty. She was very grateful to me for my teachings and plan for her.
—CHW Imelda Anyango
Stay tuned for a full story coming soon about Dr. Selnow’s trip to Kisumu
for a closeup view of our WiRED CHWs in action!
Mental Health #1 Health Issue
for the Third Month in a Row
During the month of November 2024, 20 CHWs in Kisumu, Kenya, reached a total of 7,575 people with health services. Working 24 hours per week, each of the CHWs met with at least 20 patients a week, and the largest number seen in a week by a single CHW was 395, most of them in health training classes.
In October the top health-related issues were as follows in order of prevalence:
-
Mental health
- Cholera
- Menstrual health hygiene
- Malaria
- Nutrition
- Mpox
- Hygiene
- Typhoid
