This literature review provides examples of lessons learned in the planning, implementation and evaluation of HRH interventions in maternal, neonatal and reproductive health (MNRH) at the community level in the Asia and Pacific regions. The review outlines interventions in the areas of HRH policy, management, and education and training. It synthesizes what are considered effective ways of working with the community and ways towards building supportive environments for health workers. 

This success story demonstrates how CHWs can play a crucial role in educating women and families about basic health needs and maternal and newborn care. In Rwanda, the MOH uses CHWs to improve MCH; nearly 12,000 were trained by the US Maternal and Child Health Integrated Program (MCHIP) to strengthen their  knowledge of emergency obstetric and newborn care and active management of the third stage of labor to improve MCH care. 

The report discusses Partners in Health (PIH) HIV work in one of Haiti's poorest areas. PIH launched a small pilot project integrating AIDS care with prevention efforts. PIH found that such projects are replicable and may enhance primary health care. CHWs played a crucial role in developing a stronger approach to HIV/AIDS as well as scaling up primary health care. 

This study analyzes a community-based programme to determine the degree to which community-directed interventions delivered through volunteer community based distributions  can improve access to malaria prevention strategies for pregnant women, including use of ITNs, IPTp drugs and counseling. Results suggest that beyond  access to malaria prevention, access to formal health care in general, and antenatal care in particular increased.  

The community-directed interventions  (CDI) strategy achieved a desired coverage of the ultimate treatment goal of at least 90% with ivermectin distribution for onchocerciasis control, and filled the gap between the health care services and the communities. One of the research questions included how the primary actors (community-directed heath workers and community-directed health supervisors) would perform if they were given more responsibilities for other health and development activities within the community.

Building contexts that support effective community responses to HIV/AIDS: a South African Case Study discusses a health-enabling social environment, and some of the strategies currently being used to build social contexts to support effective HIV/AIDS management in southern Africa. The authors aim to illustrate and share contextual changes that will enable more effective community-led HIV/AIDS management in an isolated area where people have little or no access to formal health or welfare support, and where HIV/AIDS is heavily stigmatized. 

The purpose of the tool is to learn and understand more about community capacity - what it is, how it can be assessed, and how it can be strengthened. The tool is an assessment process that engages communities in capacity assessment. There are seven domains including: sense of community; communication; participation; leadership; resources, knowledge, and skills; and ongoing learning. 

This report documents how CHWs address the problems of health disparities, poor access to care, and the rising cost of health care. Challenges that exist in expanding current CHW programs are also examined. Policy options around finance, workforce, and delivery of care are also discussed.

This toolkit provides a variety of resources that form a platform for strengthening policy makers, program managers and service providers' capacity to promote access to maternal, newborn and child heath care. Developed by the Peace Corps,  the toolkit includes information on: pregnancy and birth preparedness; labor, post partum and newborn care; community mobilization; child survival; and monitoring and evaluation.