‘Incentivise village health workers’

GOVERNMENT should continue giving village health workers (VHWs) incentives in appreciation of their critical role in promoting health care in rural areas, a civic society organisation has said.

Community Working Group on Health executive director Mr Itai Rusike said that VHWs were augmenting work being done by the mainstream health sector of raising awareness, giving health advice, monitoring growth of children under five years, mobilising communities during outreach programmes and immunisation, but were hardly being recognised.

Mr Rusike said the numbers of VHWs has been declining over the past two decades in the country despite their vital function.

“The VHWs and other health staff have identified lack of incentives, supporting resources and protective equipment as a major barrier to their performance.

“In their early years, VHWs benefited from incentives such as uniforms, bicycles and allowances, which were meant to enhance their work and motivate them,” said Mr Rusike.

“The allowances they received helped them to buy basic necessities such as soap, so that they could look presentable while they carried out their duties.

“These incentives have now become erratic; and the remaining workers are at times compelled to use their own resources to ensure that they continue serving their communities,” he added.