Lead Researcher: Sarah Williams, Assistant Professor
This research project evaluates the effectiveness of a standardized training program for community health workers in South Sudan, focusing on maternal and child health, infectious disease prevention, and health promotion strategies.
South Sudan faces severe healthcare challenges, with only one physician per 65,000 people and the highest maternal mortality rate in the world. The Community Health Workers Training Program research project, conducted by the Optimum Institute of Professional Studies, aims to strengthen community-based healthcare delivery through a standardized, evidence-based training curriculum. The project began with a comprehensive assessment of existing community health worker programs, identifying significant variations in training quality, scope of practice, and support systems. Based on this assessment, the research team developed a standardized curriculum focusing on five core areas: maternal and child health, infectious disease prevention and management, nutrition education, health promotion, and data collection. The curriculum is designed for delivery with minimal resources, using participatory learning methods appropriate for participants with varying levels of formal education. A key innovation of this project is the integration of mobile technology to support community health workers in the field, including a simplified diagnostic app and referral system. The research component evaluates the program's effectiveness through pre- and post-training assessments, community health outcome measurements, and longitudinal tracking of health worker retention and performance. Preliminary results indicate that trained community health workers are significantly more confident in their roles and demonstrate improved ability to identify and manage common health conditions. Communities with trained health workers have shown increased utilization of preventive services and earlier presentation for treatment. This project aligns with OIPS's mission to develop socially responsible individuals committed to nation-building and directly addresses critical healthcare challenges in South Sudan. The research findings will inform national policy on community health worker training and support.