Save the Children Fiji is equipping communities with the ability to access healthcare in their own homes.

Its Community Health Worker training handpicked 14 leaders from six communities in Suva and Nausori to be trained in basic health care as part of the Community Child Nutrition Project (CCNP) funded by Fiji Community Development Program.

These health workers will be the first line of contact for families in their own communities when they have health concerns. The real benefit is the fact that families will be able to talk to a community member in their own home for no charge and be given advice on what course of action to take.

Save the Children Fiji’s Health Manager, Ashweeni Lata says accessing health care is confronting for many families but this program breaks down the barrier as the health workers will be their people, from their own environment.

“These community health workers will be equipped with the skills to advise families on what to do on the ground and will also be trained later in the program to understand good motherhood practices and child health,” she said.

“This training is also be adaptable to what the community workers need on the ground and what their level of skills is already” she says.

The main outcome of the project will be to form a linkage between the families on the ground and the Ministry of Health to help promote and advocate for overall community health.

Save the Children Fiji is facilitating the project with technical training and advice being given by the Fiji Health Sector Support Program (FHSSP) and the Ministry of Health.

The project is part of the Community Child Nutrition Project funded by Fiji Community Development Program (FCDP).