By Muhammad Amaan
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said every $1 dollar invested in community health programmes could generate $19 dollars in economic and societal benefits by 2030.
Dr Landry Dongmo-Tsague, Director of Primary Health Care at Africa CDC, said this in an interview on Wednesday in Abuja.
Dongmo-Tsague said that the projection was contained in Africa CDC’s Continental Acceleration Plan for Community Health Programmes (2026–2030), which targets two million Community Health Workers (CHWs) across Africa by 2030.
He said that achieving the target could generate about $569 billion in modelled benefits through deaths and illnesses averted, and reduced pressure on health facilities.
“The initiative positions CHWs as a critical part of Africa’s health security, particularly in detecting diseases early, supporting vaccination and maternal and child health services, and connecting households with formal health systems.
“According to the plan, CHWs serve as the first point of disease detection and community surveillance, helping to identify outbreaks before they develop into epidemics.
“They also support essential services, including immunisation, maternal and newborn care, child health and follow-up for people living with chronic conditions,” he said.
He said that community health workers could reduce pressure on hospitals by providing basic care at the household level, allowing doctors and nurses to concentrate on more complex cases.
Beyond health outcomes, Dongmo-Tsague said that the investment was expected to generate wider economic and social benefits, including employment opportunities for young people, improved gender equity and stronger community resilience.
He said that the plan observed that many community health workers were women, often working without adequate remuneration, and argued that fair pay and formal employment opportunities could help address social and gender inequalities.
“It also highlights their role in strengthening public trust, improving the uptake of health interventions and supporting essential services during disease outbreaks.
“The plan, however, identifies significant gaps in the financing and institutionalisation of community health programmes across African Union member states.
“It reports that 85 per cent of member states rely on donors to finance half or more of their community health budgets. Only six countries fund at least 80 per cent of their programmes domestically,” he said.
He said that the assessment further indicated that 68 per cent of member states formally recognise community health workers within their national health workforce, while 51 per cent pay them through government wage bills.
“Only 31 per cent of member states provide formal career advancement pathways for the workers.
“On training and service delivery, 65 per cent of member states offer annual refresher training, 68 per cent maintain a national community health worker registry, and 59 per cent report regular supplies of essential commodities.
“Community participation remains another challenge, with only 21 per cent of member states reporting high or very high community involvement in community health programmes,” he said.
He said that the findings point to the need for stronger government financing, formal recognition, adequate remuneration, continuous training and reliable supplies if community health workers were to deliver their expected benefits.
He said the investment plan formed part of Africa CDC’s broader agenda to strengthen Africa’s health security and sovereignty.
“The agenda is built on five pillars. These include a reformed and inclusive global health architecture; predictable, domestic, innovative and blended financing; and institutionalisation of a continental agenda for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPPR). Others are digital transformation; and local manufacturing,” he said.
He said that the framework sought to strengthen Africa’s ownership of health priorities and reduce vulnerabilities associated with dependence on external funding, imported medical products and fragmented health systems.
Speaking on the financing pillar, the director emphasised domestic resource mobilisation and innovative funding arrangements to support sustainable investment in health systems and reduce exposure to fluctuations in external assistance.
He said that the agenda also sought to strengthen Africa’s voice in global health decision-making and improve coordination among countries in preventing, preparing for and responding to public health emergencies.
On Digital transformation, he said it was expected to support disease surveillance, information sharing and timely public health decision-making, while local manufacturing could improve access to essential medicines, diagnostics and other health products.
Dongmo-Tsague said that the five-pillar framework complements the community health workforce plan by linking stronger primary health care with sustainable financing, improved preparedness and greater continental self-reliance.
He said that the plan built on commitments by African leaders to expand the community health workforce, including the target of two million workers by 2030.
He called for a costed, country-specific and accountable approach, with progress monitored annually through a partnership scorecard comprising 10 indicators.
“The plan’s assessment also highlights the need for stronger community participation and more sustainable employment arrangements to ensure that community health workers can deliver services effectively.
“Achieving the projected economic and societal returns will depend on adequate financing, sustained political commitment and effective implementation by African governments and regional institutions.
“The initiative underscores that investment in community health workers extends beyond healthcare delivery, with potential benefits for employment, household wellbeing, public health preparedness and the resilience of African health systems,” he said.
