Frontline community health workers are the ones who take care of us when we’re sick. Now, we must take care of them.
Frontline community health workers are the lynchpins of strong, healthy societies. Yet despite their incredible contributions, these workers, the majority of whom are women, are unpaid, underpaid, and under-supported.
For all health workers do for us, we must do more to support them.
Together, we will support the future of frontline community health workers by ensuring they receive equal recognition, support, and fair pay from the first step to the last mile.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that by 2030, we will have 10 million fewer health workers than the world needs. This comes after the COVID-19 pandemic laid bare monumental gaps in the health workforce and global health needs during health crises.
WHO, 2017
WHO, 2017
Due to the chronic shortfall in global health workers and increasing health needs, frontline community health workers – 70% of whom are women – face heavy work burdens, resulting in burnout and thereby impacting their work efficiency and effectiveness. What’s more, female health workers often carry a double burden of responsibility in the workplace and with unpaid domestic work at home.
Supporting frontline community health workers is key to achieving global health goals and preparing for the next pandemic. And strong global health systems require gender equality: equal recognition, support, and fair pay for ALL health workers.
CARE is committed to working with governments around the world to adequately support, train, and compensate frontline community health workers, while also addressing harmful gender-related barriers.
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