Community Health Volunteers Save Children’s Lives in Liberia

In Liberia, PMI supports the NMCP’s malaria control strategy, which includes promoting the use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets. Source: Nena Terrell/USAID

Korto Kinne, a 20-year old mother, lives with her 3-month old son John in Sinje refugee Camp in Liberia, which is located in Grand Cape Mount County near the border with Sierra Leone. One evening, John developed a high fever, which continued throughout the night. “Before this time,” Ms. Kinne said, “we walked to the clinic for anything that happens to our baby. My son stopped eating and cried throughout that night and I myself could not sleep. I then decided to inform the Community Health Volunteer, who is the closest health worker to our home.”

The Community Health Volunteer was Musu Kpakar. Upon arrival at the home of Korto and John Kinne, she examined the child and performed a rapid diagnostic test for malaria, as she had been trained. The test was positive, so she immediately started John’s treatment and also advised his mother on follow-up and referral before leaving the home. When John recovered in a few days, Ms. Korto was elated and Ms. Kpakar was proud to have helped the family.

The President’s Malaria Initiative funds the Community Case Management Training that Ms. Kpakar completed through the Rebuilding Basic Health Services Project, which brings life-saving health services to hard-to-reach populations of Grand Cape Mount County through Community Health Volunteers. The project treats vulnerable children for diseases such as malaria, acute respiratory infection, and diarrhea, and educates family members and caretakers in the prevention of these diseases that claim the lives of children in Grand Cape Mount and elsewhere. Through home visits to families in the camp, volunteers such as Ms. Kpakar are providing simple but important services that are saving the lives of women and children.