Roles of

Community Health Workers

in the
Community Health Care
Process
HUMAN RESOURCES FOR HEALTH – 4
Main Cadres of Community Health
Providers
 BHWs (Barangay Health Worker) are frontline health
workers who provide basic health education and selected
PHC services (e.g., maternal and child health,
environmental health, first aid) and link clients to health
facilities.

 BNSs (Barangay Nutrition Scholar) provide nutrition

education, conduct nutrition-related activities like child
growth monitoring and micronutrient supplementation, link
clients to health facilities, manage feeding programs, and
collaborate with local organizations to promote gardening
and livestock-raising.
HUMAN RESOURCES FOR HEALTH – 4
Main Cadres of Community Health
Providers
 BSPOs (Barangay Service Point Offices) provide selected FP
services in some areas, although the project under which they
first operated, the National Family Planning Outreach Project,
concluded in the 1990s. There is little available policy
information related to BSPOs, although many continue to work
throughout the country.

 CHTs (Community Health Team) comprise BHWs, BNSs, BSPOs,

midwives, and other health workers. CHTs were established in
2010 in an effort to help the country achieve UHC. CHT members
target poorer families to enroll them in the NHIP, improve their
access to health facilities, and provide them with critical health
and social services, such as nutrition counseling, antenatal care,
and FP
 Selection Criteria of
Community Health Provider
BHWs BNSs BSPOs CHT members
Selection At least 18 years old 18–60 years old Information Completed at least 2
Criteria Has undergone At least a primary school not available years of high school
recommended 3-day graduate in policy Respected in the
DOH BHW training Resident in the barangay community
Has delivered for at least 4 years Has experience
voluntary PHC Ability to speak the working on health-
services for at least 1 dialect related or
year Leadership skills development-oriented
Physically and Willing to serve the activities in the
mentally fit barangay part- or full- community
time for at least 1 year Able to work with
Willing to learn and to local officials Able
teach what s/he has and willing to
learned to the regularly visit and/or
community monitor the families
Physically and mentally under his/her care
fit Good interpersonal
and communication
skills
 Selection Process of
Community Health Provider
BHWs BNSs BSPOs CHT members
Selection Typically, the midwife, A barangay screening Information The M/CHO recruits
Process the BC, or another BHW committee at the not available and selects CHT
recruits BHWs. municipal/ city level, in policy members from the
Candidates must chaired by the BC, existing pool of BHWs,
complete and submit a submits a list of BNSs, and BSPOs,
registration form, qualified applicants to a midwives, and
supported with a birth municipal/city members of
certificate; a certificate screening committee. communitybased
of attendance of a The committee selects groups. Policy does
training program; an the most qualified not prescribe the
endorsement from a applicants under NNC exact process.
midwife or NGO that guidance. The
the BHW has rendered municipal/city
voluntary services for; administrative officer
and a medical submits the chosen
certificate. The BHW candidate to the mayor
then submits the for approval.
registration application
to the local health
board for approval
 CommunityHealth Workers (CHW) are members of
the community who work as volunteers.

 Theywork in partnership with the health care system

and may share ethnicity, language, and
socioeconomic status and life experiences with the
community members they serve.
 CHWs are involved in a wide range of health care
activities such as first aid, some types of health
screening, health education, health promotion,
community organization services and support to the
health centers and mobile clinics.
Primary Responsibilities

 Motivate the community to be active, engaged participants in their health

management
 Talk about services and programs of the Department of Health
 Carry out a community profile survey and collect required
statistics annually
 Perform and/or organize community health education activities
 Health promotion activities in homes, neighborhoods, schools,
churches, during clinics, etc. Presentations can be done one –
one or in groups
 Encourage pregnant women for prenatal care, and mothers to
take children for immunization

 Promote sanitation and hygiene

 Check and monitor BP, blood glucose, pregnancy tests (after 2

missed periods), monitor growth of children
 Provide appropriate referrals to health facilities and other
organizations/agencies
 Encourage community members to use health facilities
 Provide basic informal counseling support
 Diagnose and treat a limited range of common diseases (e.g.
diarrhea, head lice, Cold, Pink Eye)
 Prepare and submit reports on a monthly basis and as needed to
the district health educator
 Distribute health information materials e.g. posters, flyers, and
brochures to appropriate areas
Secondary responsibilities
 Accompany the RHN or PHN team on mobile clinics
 Provide support services to visiting foreign health teams working in the
CHW’s community
 Accompany seriously ill patients to the hospital
 Support community members who are following a course of prescribed
treatment e.g. for Dengue, TB, HIV
 Responsible for the cleaning of the community health post in
preparation for visiting clinics (with supplies provided by the
responsible formal health facility)
 12 Home visits per month by at least 80 %
CHW
 1 school visit per month
 1 community health session monthly
 Monitoring growth of babies monthly/bi-
monthly
 Visits to newborns and moms (3 visits
after baby arrives in community
 Screening adolescents for pregnancy risks
and referring them for appropriate
services
75% Attend monthly meetings
Meet with catchment area team
Work with medical teams in communities
Performing first aid
50 % referrals and counter referrals from and to
CHW
Weight and height of children 0 -3 years once a
month.
Weight and height of malnourish children 0 – 5
years twice a month (Ms. Marley Ack to provide
names at monthly meetings)