by Donela Besada, Ameena Goga, Emmanuelle Daviaud et al.
BMJ Open, 2018 Mar 22;8(3):e020754
11 pp. 604 kB
http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/8/3/e020754.full.pdf
The objective of the study was to explore the roles of community cadres in improving access to and retention in care for PMTCT (prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV) services in the context of PMTCT Option B+ treatment scale-up in high burden low-income and lower-middle income countries. The authors conclude that community cadres provide an integral link between communities and health facilities, supporting overstretched health workers in HIV client support and follow-up. However, their role in health systems is neither standardised nor systematic and there is an urgent need to invest in the standardisation of and support to community cadres to maximise potential health impacts.