Role of Health Worker Network

in Health Promotion
 Learning Objectives
At the end of the session, participants will be
able to:

• Understand the concept of HW

• Explain the roles, responsibilities of the HW in

the overall DRM system of Pakistan
Disaster and Health Workers(HW)
Today’s communities are at greater risk, due to;
• increase in number and frequency of
emergencies
• changing hazards (e.g. conflicts and the effects
of climate change) and
• growing vulnerabilities (e.g. rapid and
unplanned urbanization, lack of resources and
poverty)
 To address these challenges
Community based Health Workers are the front
line force of protection against emergencies –
including disasters and other crises because
they;

• have local knowledge of local risks which is

necessary for addressing the actual needs of
the community
• able to take local actions with the help of
community to prevent risks at the source, by
avoiding exposure to local hazards

• can help the community to prepare and well-

organized to reduce risks and the impact of
emergencies

• can save many lives in the first hours after an

emergency before external help arrives
 Who are they?

The community based health workforce

comprises all those at the community level
who can contribute in promoting health by
providing preventive & promotional
health care
 Community-based Health Workforce
• Community health workers (HW) who are appropriately
trained and accredited according to National policy

• Trained volunteers (e.g. those affiliated with the Red Cross

or Red Crescent Societies)

• Social moblizers of community-based organizations that

promote health through behaviour change
communications, health education and social mobilization

• Actors from key sectors (e.g. water, sanitation and hygiene,

agriculture, food security, shelter and education) that
contribute to promoting and improving the health of
communities
 Role of Health Workers
in DRM
• The role of the HW in emergencies will depend
on their level of capacities i.e. trainings, national
policy and health service delivery, and support
for health-system at the community level

• In addition to provide Primary Health Care (PHC)

services, the HW are important in all phases of
community based disaster risk management
 Before an Emergency/Disaster
• Contribute to risk assessments to identify
hazards, vulnerabilities, high risk groups and
capacities
• Contribute to the detection, prevention (e.g.
preventing an influenza epidemic by reducing
exposure to infected animals) and control of
diseases of epidemic potential
• Provide risk awareness and health education
(e.g. by promoting clean water, sanitation and
hygiene), and contribute to social mobilization
• Contribute to emergency preparedness
planning for households, communities and
health systems (e.g. risk communication, early
warning, community emergency response)
• Resources like equipment and materials
needed for the management of a disaster
should be in place
• Coordinating with their community disaster
risk management team members
 During an Emergency /Disaster
• Contribute to community needs assessments and
ongoing monitoring during emergencies

• Provide priority PHC services including referral,

behaviour change communication, and health
promotion and education

• Conduct community-based surveillance and early

warning of diseases of epidemic potential

• Provide first aid and basic life support

• Provide psychosocial services, community support and

psychological first aid
 After an Emergency /Disaster
• Continue to provide critical PHC and emergency
health services

• Help re-establish and strengthen pre-existing

health services

• Provide community-based rehabilitation

• Help to integrate prevention and preparedness

into community recovery and development
programs