Village Health Workers Address Non-Communicable Diseases In Zimbabwe
In Zimbabwe, Village Health Workers shoulder the task of caring for children with non-communicable diseases with compassion and skill. Primarily women, these volunteers travel miles each day visiting children and families.
© UNICEF
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in children and adolescents include chronic respiratory disease, cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and sickle cell disease. Though many are preventable and treatable, these diseases lead to the death of nearly 1 million people under the age of 20 each year globally. UNICEF, in collaboration with public and private sector partners, aims to strengthen health systems and alleviate the burden of NCDs at the local, national and global levels. Village Health Workers play a crucial role in educating their communities about the prevention, detection and treatment of NCDs.
At 8 a.m., a woman heads out from her home on foot in northern central Zimbabwe. Traversing rough bush paths and mountainous terrain, the 62-year-old grandmother may walk more than 9 miles that day to deliver essential health care information and services to her neighbors.
Stella Pedzisai is one of approximately 20,000 volunteer Village Health Workers in who provide health and nutrition services to women and children by visiting homes and community gathering places in rural and remote areas.
Stella Pedzisai, one of approximately 20,000 volunteer Village Health Workers in Zimbabwe, delivers health and nutrition education and services to women and children in homesteads dispersed throughout the country's Sanyati District. Her work is essential to improving outcomes for childhood non-communicable diseases.
© UNICEF
Carrying a backpack filled with medical supplies, including malaria testing kits, thermometers, blood pressure monitors and Vitamin A doses, Pedzisai can screen for malnutrition and diseases, administer vaccines, promote safe hygiene practices and offer pregnant women routine check-ups, delivery assistance and breastfeeding support.
Lately, Pedzisai has noted an increase in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among the children on her rounds. In fact, Village Health Workers are often the first to spot the symptoms and signs of NCDs, refer patients to lifesaving medical care promptly and follow up with families on management at home.
In Zimbabwe, NCDs account for 55 percent of the public health system burden, a share expected to increase, according to Dr. Justice Mudavanhu, Acting Director for NCDs in the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC). NCDs account for as high as 39 percent of deaths in Zimbabwe.
Pedzisai's daily routine includes visiting remote homesteads. 'I walk to check on babies and teach parents and caregivers about the signs of NCDs in children, proper diet and the importance of medical care to manage the disease,' she says. She refers severe cases to the nearest health facility and maintains contact with the children and their families. 'I follow up multiple times to see whether they indeed went to the clinic and are taking medication,' she explains.
Elected by their communities, Village Health Workers have local and cultural knowledge of the households they visit. They are trusted to enter homes to offer health and nutrition services when an unknown medical professional from a distant health facility may be unwelcome or perceived as intimidating. In many areas, religious or cultural norms forbid unrelated men from entering the home. In such circumstances, other women — and the majority of Village Health Care Workers are women — are well placed to reach mothers and female caregivers.
The MoHCC and other partners describe Village Health Workers as the backbone of the country's public health system. Indeed, with typically understaffed, overburdened health facilities miles away on foot, Pedzisai is the go-to person for her community.
On the smartphone she carries, Village Health Worker Stella Pedzisai takes notes and transmits test results and other timely health data to consult with a nearby health facility. Digital health solutions have empowered caregivers to better screen for and manage non-communicable diseases among their patients.
© UNICEF
'I serve 187 households, but the population usually balloons during the dry season [April to October] when we can have as many as 600 people that need my services,' says Pedzisai, sitting on a bench at Patchway Clinic, a health facility in the Sanyati District. 'I am not deterred, I still do the job thoroughly.'
Village Health Workers in Zimbabwe undergo an eight-week training by the MoHCC to acquire basic health care skills, including vaccine administration and other interventions. Once a month, they travel to a local health facility to collect supplies, report to the supervising nurse-in-charge and receive ongoing education and skills training on topics such as maternal, neonatal and child health, nutrition, safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) practices, and common childhood illnesses.
Investing in training for Village Health Workers strengthens public health systems by building a health workforce that cuts through gender-based discrimination and norms that marginalize women's employment and economic participation. In Zimbabwe, volunteer Village Health Workers receive a quarterly stipend to pay for family necessities like school fees and food.
The Mafemera family in Mutoko, a rural area in northeast Zimbabwe, tried many ways to alleviate 12-year-old Isheanesu's asthma. Family members would scrounge bushes for herbs that had little effect on the boy's symptoms.
That changed when 57-year-old Village Health Worker Josephine Chinyanga came along.
'I used to trust herbs, but Granny [Chinyanga] told us that the best way to deal with Isheanesu's condition is by going to the hospital for proper care and medicine,' says Alice Mafemera, her nephew's caregiver. 'The medicines are helping Isheanesu survive better. I am happy that Granny has taken us this far; it has lessened our burden.'
Isheanesu, in his grey school uniform, smiles shyly.
Chinyanga continues to visit the family at least once a week. 'Even when we meet at the community water well, the first thing she wants to know is Isheanesu's condition,' Maferma adds.
Chinyanga confirms, 'I make sure they are not exposing him to dust, that he wears warm clothes, takes his medicine and doesn't miss school.'
'Granny is a trusted friend of the village,' Mafemera said, hugging Chinyanga.
Her undying love for all children motivates Chinyanga. 'A child only belongs to the mother when they are still in the womb," she says. "Once born, they belong to all of us. It is our collective duty to take care of them as a village. That's why I spend most of my time visiting families to check on children with chronic diseases.'
Given the grueling nature of visiting far-flung homesteads, UNICEF and other organizations encourage community-level health systems to integrate Village Health Worker appearances and services into established gatherings and settings.
Folklore, music and art are integral to Zimbabwean culture. Some Village Health Workers have begun to reach their communities through these more creative channels. At community meetings, funerals and even weddings, many rural communities have begun to reserve time for Village Health Workers to speak on health issues and practices. 'People internalize the message when they sing along and dance; sometimes we perform drama as well. It is effective,' says Pedzisai.
Successful investment in country-led health programs begins at the community level. When equipped with innovative technology and supported by local health facilities, Village Health Workers play an indispensable role in meeting the primary care needs of their communities and advancing equitable care for children living with NCDs in Zimbabwe.
This vital work is made possible by support from the U.S. Fund for UNICEF from a donation by Eli Lilly and Company to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF (UNICEF USA).
UNICEF does not endorse any company, brand, product or service.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
8 hours ago
- Forbes
Digital Health Solutions For Non-Communicable Disease Care In Zimbabwe
Village Health Workers in Zimbabwe use digital medical equipment and smartphones to facilitate childhood non-communicable disease testing, screening and treatment in under-resourced areas. In Zimbabwe, a Village Health Worker holds the smartphone she uses to transmit patient data to the public health system in real time. UNICEF supports the Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Care in strengthening its national health system. © UNICEF Connecting rural and remote communities to Zimbabwe's primary health system used to include delays of up to one month and loads of paperwork. Now, with the support of UNICEF and partners, the Ministry of Health and Child Care has equipped Village Health Workers with data-driven tools to make timely and lifesaving health care decisions. Digital health solutions like the use of a smartphone to transmit patient data in real time have empowered these workers to improve outcomes for children living with non-communicable diseases. Village Health Workers, trained volunteers who provide essential health and nutrition services to families and children, often work in remote areas that have limited access to health facilities. In the past, they recorded patient notes during their rounds that were then shared with the public health system, often long after the visit. 'We used to compile reports in a book which we would submit at the clinic at the end of the month. Now it is smoother and faster. Cellphones have been a game-changer,' says 52-year-old Margaret Denhera, a Village Health Worker in Luwana, Zimbabwe. Village Health Workers in Zimbabwe receive regular training on the digital medical equipment and devices they use on their rounds. © UNICEF 'I move around the village collecting information on non-communicable diseases. At the end of the day, I punch it into my phone,' says Denhera. She sends the data to the nearest health facility about 10 miles away. As the front line in Zimbabwe's public health system, Village Health Workers are often the first to identify non-communicable diseases like high blood pressure, chronic respiratory illness, cancer and diabetes. These diseases disproportionately affect people in developing countries, leading to the death of nearly 1 million people under age 20 each year worldwide. In Zimbabwe, NCDs are on the rise. Many, but by no means all, NCDs are preventable and treatable with early intervention and education on risk factors like excessive alcohol, inactivity, poor nutrition and tobacco use. Left undetected and untreated, NCDs can rapidly become life-threatening. Village Health Workers educate families on these risky behaviors and are trained to detect and test for NCDs on their rounds. The prompt reporting of a patient's symptoms to the nearest health facility can save a child's life. 'Village health workers are our foot soldiers,' says Yemurai Chamburuka, a primary care nurse at Patchway Clinic. 'When they see patients with abnormalities, they can easily call us or send the data by phone. It is to our advantage because we have the information as early as possible rather than waiting until the end of the month,' she says. 'If, during my checkup rounds, I test someone and observe, say, abnormal blood glucose levels, which is a sign of some non-communicable diseases, I refer the person to the clinic and send their test results ahead,' Denhera explains. Clinic nurses can review the real-time data and develop an action plan before the patient even reaches the facility. Because they come to know their clients and their environment so well, Village Health Workers often identify trends or potential disease outbreaks in their recordkeeping. The data they capture in real time is analyzed so that public health officials and policymakers can respond swiftly and efficiently. Dr. Robert Gongora, a digital health specialist who has led implementation of the Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) Electronic Health Records (EHR) system since 2017, commends the seamless flow of patient information. 'With more and more connectivity, we begin to learn immediately what's happening in that area because the moment we receive the information, we plan for that client ahead of arrival,' he says. Dr. Justice Mudavanhu, National Coordinator for Non-Communicable Diseases in the MoHCC, says the Ministry's head office uses VHW-submitted data to map the country's response to the growing incidence of childhood NCDs. 'In the program, we have technical experts who apply evidence-based interventions that help us to develop guidelines, standard operating procedures, algorithms and strategies for chronic diseases in children,' he said during a recent tour of rural Zimbabwe. 'There are systems at community level, at health facility level, and, as you go up, there are non-location-specific systems that enable data visualization. When we know what we are facing, we can target and measure our interventions better,' Dr. Mudavanhu adds. 'It's better not to shoot in the dark, especially where resource allocation is concerned.' 'We call them 'Digital Health Workers.' ' Equitable access to health care requires decision-making based on accurate and timely data. Authorities see vital interlinkages between the MoHCC digitization program and UNICEF's support for capacity building of the public health system. UNICEF, with the support of partners, is helping the MoHCC revolutionize community-based primary health care to strengthen NCD diagnosis, prevention and treatment within primary health care and referral facilities. Dr. Gongora suggests the title 'Village Health Worker' is outdated. Instead, he says, they should be called 'Digital Health Workers." his vital work is made possible by a donation from Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly) to UNICEF USA. UNICEF is strengthening health systems and preventing, detecting and treating NCDs for children and adolescents in Bangladesh, Malawi, Nepal, India, the Philippines and Zimbabwe. UNICEF does not endorse any company, brand, product or service.
Forbes
2 days ago
- Forbes
Breast Milk Bank Helps Babies Thrive In Nepal
Hundreds of newborns receive the nourishment they need to survive and thrive through a program in Kathmandu supported by UNICEF, the government of Nepal and other partners. But plans to expand the services and reach more babies in need are on hold due to funding cuts. New mother Sarita Khatri Tamang rests with her newborn baby in the Kangaroo Mother Care ward at the UNICEF-supported Paropakar Maternity and Women's Hospital in Kathmandu. © UNICEF/UNI792286/Upadhayay New mother Sarita Khatri Tamang holds her baby close as she lies in a bed recovering from a C-section delivery at Paropakar Maternity and Women's Hospital in Kathmandu. She has been unable to breastfeed, but her baby is not missing out on the breast milk needed for optimal infant nutrition. Thanks to the hospital's Amrit Kosh — Nepal's first human milk bank — she is able to receive breast milk donated by other mothers. "At a time when I could barely stand up because I was in so much pain," Tamang says, "it was such a big support for me." The milk bank is part of a comprehensive lactation management center established in 2022 by the government of Nepal, with support from the European Union and UNICEF. The center ensures proper nourishment for newborns in critical condition, including many born prematurely. Around 500 babies are supported every month with donated breast milk — the next best thing to a mother's own milk. Plans to open or expand similar lactation management units in hospitals across Nepal, particularly in facilities serving large numbers of at-risk newborns, have been put on hold due as recent funding cuts have affected UNICEF's ability to support these initiatives. Funding cuts have also disrupted other key UNICEF-supported services including breastfeeding support and counseling. "The demand is still much higher than what the bank can currently supply on a daily basis," says Dr. Kalpana Upadhyaya Subedi, Chief Consultant Pediatrician and head of the Department of Neonatology at Paropakar. 'Expanding such facilities across the country would ensure that more mothers and babies receive the support they need, reducing neonatal mortality and promoting healthier outcomes for future generations." Breastfeeding is the best form of nutrition for babies, especially for the first six months of life. But breast milk is more than a meal. It also plays a critical role in protecting vulnerable infants from infections and malnutrition. On May 2, 2025, Dr. Smriti Poudel counsels new mother Sarita Khatri Tamang at the Paropakar Maternity and Women's Hospital in Kathmandu, where UNICEF supports Nepal's first Human Milk Bank. Expansion plans are on hold due to funding cuts. © UNICEF/UNI792463/Rabik Upadha Nepal faces significant challenges in early childhood nutrition. One in 4 children under age 5 is stunted, and 8 percent are wasted, with limited access to treatment, according to UNICEF. Nearly half of all infants are not exclusively breastfed, and over 1 million children suffer from anemia. 'It makes me happy to think that because of me, lives were saved.' Sushila Nagarkoti is one of the mothers who has donated to the Kathmandu milk bank. "The nurse told me that I was producing a lot of milk and asked if I wanted to donate some; I said okay, since I had more than enough milk for my own child," Nagarkoti says. "It makes me happy to think that because of me, lives were saved." Learn more about UNICEF programs in Asia Your contribution to UNICEF is more important than ever. Please donate. Right now, the lives of the most vulnerable children hang in the balance as conflicts and crises jeopardize the care and protection that they deserve. Dependable, uninterrupted and effective foreign aid is critical to the well-being of millions of children. Please contact your members of Congress and urge them to support ongoing U.S. investments in foreign assistance.
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Miami Herald
Nordic Parents Have It Great-But Birth Rates Are Still Falling
Much of the world is facing a birth rate crisis, and Norway is no exception despite implementing many of the policies governments, activists, and experts have touted. Newsweek has broken down why. Many trying to tackle this global issue have called for public health policies and financial plans to help make it easier for couples to have children in society. The financial crisis and its impact on housing, inflation and pay is generally cited a major contributor to people's decisions to delay having children, to have fewer children or not to have them at all. Parental leave and childcare come up just as often, with multiple experts telling Newsweek that improved policies in these areas would be a game-changer. Norway is considered a global leader in parental leave and childcare policies, with the United Nations International Children's Fund (UNICEF) ranking it among the top countries for family-friendly policies. "The Nordic model is characterized by strong institutional support for families with children," Rannveig Kaldager Hart, a senior researcher at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health's Centre for Fertility and Health, told Newsweek. Norway offers parents 12 months of shared paid leave for birth and an additional year each afterward. It also made kindergarten (similar to a U.S. day care) a statutory right for all children 1 year of age or older in 2008, which the government has subsidized to make it possible for "women and men to combine work and family life," as Norway's former Minister of Children, Equality, and Social Inclusion Solveig Horne said at a parental leave event in 2016. And yet, Norway's fertility rate has dropped dramatically from 1.98 children per woman in 2009 to 1.44 children per woman in 2024, according to official figures. The rate for 2023 (1.40) was the lowest-ever recorded fertility rate in the country. Oslo created a Birth Rate Committee to investigate the causes, consequences and possible solutions of Norway's birth rate problem last year. It found that "an important cause is that fewer people are having their first child before age 30" and fewer people have more than two children, Hart, who is also the Committee's chair, said. Professor Katrine Vellesen Løken, from the Norwegian School of Economics, told Newsweek that "one leading hypothesis points to lower rates of couple formation for those in their 20s, which in turn contribute to reduced fertility." "While Norway has eased some financial barriers, that's only part of the picture; other psychological, cultural, and structural factors matter too," said Theodore Cosco, a research fellow at the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing. "Parenting is shaped by many factors, and Norway is beginning to reckon with those beyond just financial support, especially the deeper challenges of parenting itself," he told Newsweek. Indeed, Hart also said that "young adults are more likely to live alone" and "young couples split up more frequently than before." He went on to speak about "intensive parenting," which refers to the modern parenting style in which parents invest time, money and energy into creating successful adults. The expectations of this parenting style "may cause some to postpone or have fewer children than they otherwise would," Hart said. Øystein Kravdal, who was a demography professor at the University of Oslo for almost three decades, said the same. "One may also wonder whether young adults to an increasing extent are being exposed to overwhelming expectations about how 'intensely' one should care for a child to be a responsible parent," he told Newsweek. So does this mean that Norway's progressive parental leave and childcare policies should not be part of other countries' solutions? Cosco does not think Norway's approach should be dismissed globally. "Norway shouldn't be seen as a failure," he said. "Fertility is a complex issue that requires a multi-pronged approach." Kravdal argued that Norway would be worse off without its family-friendly policies. "In the last 15 years, Norway's generous support system has not been weakened. If that had happened, the total fertility rate would likely have been even lower than the current 1.44," he said." Løken agreed, saying: "This uncertainty does not rule out the potential role of family policies in addressing the issue." "Measures that provide families with more financial support or time could, in theory, influence the opportunity costs associated with couple formation and having children," she continued. But she added: "Most studies examining the impact of family policies on fertility find only modest and short-term effects-typically influencing the timing of childbirth rather than the total number of children people have." Løken went on to call for a "more ambitious policy direction" involving "efforts to reduce screen time, enhance community and social engagement opportunities, and shift cultural norms around relationships and fertility, particularly among people in their 20s." In its interim report, the Birth Rate Committee looked at offering additional child allowance for parents younger than 30 years old and better education about the ability to have children and pre-pregnancy help. Related Articles World No. 1 Chess Grandmaster Slams Table After Surprise Defeat: VideoNorway To Randomly Select 100,000 Millennials, Gen Z For Tax CutsChinese Must Remove Stone Lions from the Arctic: ReportsPhoenix Ikner Updates: New Details Emerge on FSU Shooter's Childhood 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
