Eliminating ghost workers and optimizing resources to strengthen Community Health Worker programs in sub-Saharan Africa
Although community health workers (CHWs) play a vital role in filling health workforce gaps, they remain inadequately compensated due to insufficient domestic financing. In this Policy Forum article, Temesgen Ayehu and colleagues discuss how elimination of ghost workers and healthcare reform in Sub-Saharan Africa can release funds to properly pay and integrate CHWs into civil service programs.
Authors
- Josiah F. Joekai.
- Noella Claire Mbrenga
- Brima Osaio Kamara
- Temesgen Ayehu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9990-0273)
- S. Olasford Wiah
- Theophile Dushime
- Mulbah K. Yorgbor
- Moussa Dialo
- George P. Jacobs
- Loue Dékwinzou Frederic
- Adamou A. Marcelin
- Haileyesus Getahun
- Hudad Barry
- Mohamed S. T. Kamara
- Bawene Edouard
- Christine E. E. Williams
- Hezagira Emery
- Sagnon Fatoumata
- Matthew Beckhio
- Edleen T. Clark
- Christine E. Brooks-Jarrett
- Sebakunzi Theirry
Institutions
- University of Liberia (LR)
- Burkina Faso Ministry of the Environment, Green Economy, and Climate Change (BF)
- Planned Parenthood Association of Liberia (LR)
- University of Bangui (CF)
- Ministry of Defence (SL)
- Carnegie Mellon University Africa (RW)
- Rwanda Biomedical Center (RW)
- Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre (SL)
- Ministry of Health (RW)
Publication Details
- Journal
- PLoS Medicine
- Published
- 2026-02-17
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1004929
- Primary Topic
- Global Maternal and Child Health
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00