Inspiring event this evening by USA health and community orgson what #communityhealthworkers/ #CHWs can do during COVID-19.

Great to hear of 'bright spots' inc @BaltimoreCorps @SiloamFHC + @SDCountyHHSA using #CHWs for contact tracing & community support.

Missed it? Read on.

/n https://twitter.com/RishiManchanda/status/1293554327663996933
#Communityhealthworkers are community members recruited + employed to deliver essential preventive and medical care at grassroots level.

Egs of success abound - inc HIV, TB, child immunisation, mental health

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_health_worker
Speakers tonight explained how mobilising #CHWs for contact tracing allowed more grassroots approach, engaging communities more than any agency can.

With recent pivots in UK to local contact tracing teams in UK by councils, is this the next logical step? https://www.ft.com/content/b1f0fe23-a8e0-4c6c-b484-d55d6893ef6f
#CHWs appear important in areas of high diversity and disadvantage - allowing services often not reflective of communities they improve their reach.

#COVID19 has already generated stark #inequalities - could #CHWs be part of a programme to narrow them?

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/908434/Disparities_in_the_risk_and_outcomes_of_COVID_August_2020_update.pdf
Recruiting #CHWs from communities most hard hit by job losses and mass unemployment from the pandemic could mitigate some of these effects and demonstrate health organisations commitment to increase their #socialvalue as #anchorinstitutions

https://www.england.nhs.uk/blog/anchored-in-our-community-the-role-of-the-nhs-in-addressing-health-inequalities/
Too many egs of what #CHWs could do, in short/long term, but here's a few

- ensure accessing benefits
- ⬆️management of chronic conditions
- ⬆️vaccine coverage inc COVID if we get one!
- help⬇️gaps in access to care
- support w/ appts
- and of course, Test, Trace and Isolate
So, if we are to narrow inequalities from #COVID19, suppress the virus effectively and use this moment to build more health-promoting primary care workforce, #CHWs seem like a no-brainer really.

Huge thanks again to @HealthBegins and others for this great event.
You can follow @jonnycurrie.
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