This pilot program improves access to health, quality of care and strengthen human capital at the community level. It consists of training Community Health Monitors – CHM (“Vigilantes Comunitarios de Salud – VCS”) native to and residents of rural, marginalized communities so that they can carry out health promotion and prevention activities, provide primary care, and orient the inhabitants towards health services to improve their quality of life in the medium-long term.
The creation came about in 2020 as a way for Nursing Heart Inc. to meet the health needs of the communities during the pandemic. We had always wanted to create a sustainable program where the communities would become the leaders in health support and be equiped with the skills and resources to do so. The pandemic paused our visiting medical groups and this provided us with the opportunity to create this program. The pilot consists of 6 communities, 22-25 CHW and will change health access to over 10,000 Guatemalans with this first cohort.
We are partnering with the health department, local non-profits and of course the communities to provide this service to ALL rural and remote villages who need it.
Can you imagine what it would be like for these families who once had little trust and no access to now have 24/7 health workers (monitors) who bring hope and care through the heart of health?
Will you join us on this mission to cover all 37 communities in San Martin Jilotepeques?
Through health education, development and strengthening of partnerships with the community, local governments and non-profit organizations, the program empowers individuals and communities to become the major players in solving and preventing their own health problems and by being a part of the formation and education of future CHWs. They will be trained to assess, refer and manage the major health issues within their communities identified through a community health assessment, and be trained to deliver public health awareness classes. The overall objective is to lower morbidity through early detection and treatment of illness and diseases.
