Rapid assessment of the implementation of the ward-based primary healthcare outreach team (WBPHCOT) policy framework and strategy

In response to the healthcare challenges faced by middle-income and resource-constrained countries, the role of community health workers (CHWs) has become increasingly pivotal. These frontline healthcare providers bridge the gap between communities and formal healthcare institutions, delivering essential primary healthcare (PHC) services. South Africa witnessed a significant step in 2010 with the establishment of ward-based primary healthcare outreach teams (WBPHCOT), as part of the broader re-engineering of the primary healthcare strategy. As part of these WBPHCOTs, CHWs, under the supervision of outreach team leaders (OTLs), have been instrumental in delivering PHC services at the community level, significantly contributing efforts toward achieving sustainable health development goals. The subsequent Policy Framework and Strategy for the Implementation of WBPHCOTs, which was published in 2018, set the stage for a comprehensive approach. However, no formal evaluation of the policy’s implementation has been conducted thus far. As a result, the National Department of Health commissioned the Human Sciences Research Council to undertake a rapid assessment to understand the WBPHCOT policy framework and strategy 2018/2019-2023/2024 implementation context in South Africa across all nine provinces.