Community Health Workers in Benin Save Lives by Diagnosing Malaria

The Benin Integrated Family Health Project (Projet Intégré de Santé Familiale, PISAF) works to increase access to and improve the quality of family health services. This project report describes how, in remote areas where formal health workers are scarce, PISAF trains volunteer community health workers (CHWs) to provide basic services. These CHWs receive kits and are able to treat uncomplicated malaria, to recognize and manage illness in children from 6 months to 5 years old and to counsel mothers on infant feeding, birth planning, family planning, and healthy practices during pregnancy, and help to alleviate the health workforce crisis.