Africa needs $4.3bn yearly for community health workers — FG

African leaders are demanding $4.3 billion annually to adequately support the growing number of community health workers needed to meet the continent's goal of two million by 2030, according to a recent forum in Abuja. Currently, Africa has around 1.36 million community health workers, falling short of the target set by the African Union.

Only 68% of member states have formally recognized these workers, and only half pay them through government budgets, relying heavily on donor funding. Nigeria, with approximately 83,000 community health workers, is working to strengthen primary healthcare through various initiatives but still needs more domestic financing. Experts emphasize that investing in these workers would yield significant economic and social returns, with every dollar spent potentially generating $19 in benefits.

They call for better training, equipment, and sustainable financing for this critical workforce, which plays a vital role in immunization, maternal and child health, and non-communicable disease screening, among other services.