How the proCHW movement can enable quality care for all with Dr. Madeleine Ballard

Rediscover the power of community health workers (CHWs) and their critical role in delivering healthcare globally in this captivating conversation with Jonathan Jackson and Dr. Madeleine Ballard, CEO of the Community Health Impact Coalition (CHIC). Despite concrete evidence that CHWs work, millions are not salaried, skilled, supervised and supplied. The WHO recommends remunerating CHWs for their work but 86% of CHWs in Africa are not salaried. And worldwide, CHWs face essential medicine stock-outs 1/3 of the time. CHIC is a coalition of thousands of CHWs and aligned health organizations in 40+ countries who are making professional CHWs (proCHWs) the norm by changing guidelines, funding, and policy. In this episode, Dr. Ballard delivers actionable insights and inspiring ideas for creating sustainable change in global health. You’ll also hear about the countries leading the way, why this matters so much, and what it all means for technologists and funders who want to create a world where everyone has access to the services they need to thrive. The episode confronts listeners with a strong call to action to join the movement for proCHWs and ensure health for all.

Topics included: 

• How technology can enable and support community health workers as well as connect and amplify movements
• Bridging the gap between policy and implementation in global healthcare
• Why we must support and unleash the intelligence of CHWs before focusing on AI algorithms
• How all technology companies must be intentional about using technology to avoid harm and extraction in healthcare
• Exploring the key role of strong political will and the importance of listening to CHWs, 70% of whom are women
• Why proper financing is crucial for implementing salaried CHW programs

Related Resources:

• CHIC proCHW Policy Dashboard: https://joinchic.org/resources/prochw-policy-dashboard/
• Championing a Movement to Pay and Professionalize Community Health Workers with Margaret Odera: https://sites.dimagi.com/high-impact-growth-podcast/professionalizing-chws 
• Payment of Community Health Workers: https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/langlo/PIIS2214-109X(22)00311-4.pdf 
• Equity and AI in Global Health: Exploring Large Language Models, Building Chatbots and Embracing Discomfort: https://sites.dimagi.com/high-impact-growth-podcast/equity-through-ai 
• Community Health Impact Coalition (CHIC): https://joinchic.org 

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If you enjoy this show, please leave us a 5-Star Review and share your favorite episodes with friends. Hosts: Jonathan Jackson: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanljackson/⁠⁠⁠Amie Vaccaro: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/amievaccaro/