Biomaterial Database

Voluntary village health workers in Papua New Guinea. 1989

P A Garner

The aid post orderly system remains the cornerstone of primary health services in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Inadequate supervision limits its impact. Recent promotion of voluntary village health aides (VVHA) is leading some provincial Divisions of Health to start large-scale projects, which are even more likely to break down through poor supervision. VVHAs are in general inappropriate to provide widespread curative care in PNG. Health personnel should rather reinforce and support existing services. However, voluntary village aide schemes may be appropriate in localized disadvantaged areas. Health planners should consider carefully their goals in setting up such schemes; how they are going to develop projects; and, if villagers want VVHA schemes, the staff required for training and supervision. Monitoring and evaluation should be incorporated into the initial design and provide feedback to participants. Intensive supervision may be appropriate for a defined period, with subsequent closure of the project, or its absorption into the existing health care framework.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010219	Papua New Guinea	A country consisting of the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and adjacent islands, including New Britain, New Ireland, the Admiralty Islands, and New Hanover in the Bismarck Archipelago; Bougainville and Buka in the northern Solomon Islands; the D'Entrecasteaux and Trobriand Islands; Woodlark (Murua) Island; and the Louisiade Archipelago. It became independent on September 16, 1975. Formerly, the southern part was the Australian Territory of Papua, and the northern part was the UN Trust Territory of New Guinea, administered by Australia. They were administratively merged in 1949 and named Papua and New Guinea, and renamed Papua New Guinea in 1971.	New Guinea, East,New Guinea, Papua
D011320	Primary Health Care	Care which provides integrated, accessible health care services by clinicians who are accountable for addressing a large majority of personal health care needs, developing a sustained partnership with patients, and practicing in the context of family and community. (JAMA 1995;273(3):192)	Primary Care,Primary Healthcare,Care, Primary,Care, Primary Health,Health Care, Primary,Healthcare, Primary
D003150	Community Health Workers	Persons trained to assist professional health personnel in communicating with residents in the community concerning needs and availability of health services.	Barefoot Doctors,Community Health Aides,Village Health Worker,Family Planning Personnel,Family Planning Personnel Characteristics,Village Health Workers,Aide, Community Health,Aides, Community Health,Barefoot Doctor,Community Health Aide,Community Health Worker,Doctor, Barefoot,Doctors, Barefoot,Health Aide, Community,Health Aides, Community,Health Worker, Community,Health Worker, Village,Health Workers, Community,Health Workers, Village,Personnel, Family Planning,Planning Personnel, Family,Worker, Community Health,Worker, Village Health,Workers, Community Health,Workers, Village Health
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000078329	Workforce	The number of people working or available for work or service.	Human Resources,Labor Supply,Manpower,Staffing,Womanpower,Human Resource,Labor Supplies,Manpowers,Staffings,Supply, Labor,Womanpowers,Workforces
D014838	Volunteers	Persons who donate their services.	Voluntary Workers,Volunteer Personnel,Untrained Personnel,Volunteer Workers,Volunteerism,Personnel, Untrained,Personnel, Volunteer,Voluntary Worker,Volunteer,Volunteer Worker,Worker, Voluntary,Worker, Volunteer