The contribution of health extension workers in improving the utilization of maternal health services in rural areas of Tigray, Ethiopia

Ethiopia, like many resource-constrained countries, has over the past couple of decades been training and deploying different categories of volunteer community health workers (CHWs), such as trained traditionalbirth attendants (TBAs), community-based reproductive-health agents, and community health agents. However, in 2003, to accelerate the expansion of primary health care (PHC) coverage and to ensure equitable access to health services, the government of Ethiopia started deploying a new cadre of specially trained community-based health workers called health extension workers (HEWs). Apart from the requirement of having completed high school and undergone one year of comprehensive training prior to being deployed, the HEWs are also distinct from the volunteer CHWs in that they are employed by the Ministry of Health and are paid a monthly salary...