G.J.B.A.H.S.,Vol.4(1):129-135 (January-March, 2015) ISSN: 2319 – 5584 129 The role of Village Health Workers and challenges faced in providing primary health care in Mutoko and Mudzi Districts in Zimbabwe Oliver Gore 1 *, Festus Mukanangana 2 , Collet Muza 3 & Manase Kudzai Chiweshe 4 1. Faculty of Gender and Development Studies, Women's University in Africa, Zimbabwe; MSc in Gender and Development Studies 2. Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service Headquarters, Research and Development Section, Harare and Centre for Population Studies, University of Zimbabwe 3. Centre for Population Studies, University of Zimbabwe, MSc in Population Studies 4. Chinhoyi University of Technology, Zimbabwe; MSc Sociology and Anthropology, PhD Sociology, Post-Doctoral Fellow *Corresponding Author Abstract Shortage of health staff is a global problem and this is more pronounced in Sub Saharan Africa. Realizing this challenge, World Health Organization recommended the use of Community Health Workers to provide primary health care in these countries with weak health systems and high demand for health services (WHO 2008). This study therefore focused on the role of the Village Health Workers (VHWs) and challenges faced in providing primary health care in Zimbabwe. An exploratory qualitative research study was conducted in two districts using focus group discussions, in- depth and key informant interviews, and observations. The study revealed that after undergoing a formal training VHWs performed the following roles; preventative, promotional, surveillance, referral and supportive. Challenges associated with inadequate support of VHWs as a result of limited resources were noted. These challenges however had implications on VHW programme’s efficacy in the country. Key words: primary health, village health workers, Zimbabwe. 1.0 Introduction Globally, Community Health Workers play a significant role in the health systems of their countries. Despite their important role in providing primary health care, little focus has been provided on exploring their operations. This study therefore delved on the role of Community Health Workers and challenges they face in providing primary health care in Zimbabwe. 2.0 Background Shortage of health professionals is a problem globally; a total of four million health professionals are needed to have all positions filled (Global Health Workforce Alliance and WHO 2011). The problem is however more pronounced in developing countries, with Sub Saharan Africa having only 3% of the global health providers (Atun et, al. 2011). Staff shortages have weakened health systems of these countries resulting in high morbidity and mortality; and this has contributed to failure by these countries to achieve targets set for health related Millennium Development Goals (Smith et, al, 2014). Shortage of health personnel, coupled with HIV and AIDS, have overburdened Sub Saharan Africa given that these countries have been struggling to provide basic health care to their population (WHO 2006; WHO, UNAIDS, UNICEF 2008). Furthermore, weak heath systems of these countries are failing to cope up with high demand of health care services considering that Anti Retro Therapy (ART) and HIV AIDS is changing from being a fatal disease to a chronic one (Hermann 2009). In response to staff shortages World Health Organization had recommended task shifting as a solution to that problem (WHO 2008). The major aim of task shifting is to use available human resources efficiently and the process is done through distribution of specific tasks from professional health personnel to less qualified ones who have undergone shorter training (WHO 2006). Prominence has therefore been given to the use of Community Health Workers as a way of task shifting in the low resourced Sub Sahara Africa. Community Health Workers (CHWs) are people chosen by the community and trained to provide health promotion interventions and health related duties within their communities and have neither formal certification nor tertiary education (Nkonki et, al. 2011). Training received by CHWs is accepted within the health system but is not recognized by the tertiary education system (Lehman et, al. 2004). The community health worker concept became popular worldwide after the Alma Ata Declaration 1978 on improving primary healthcare, which was a set of strategies to achieve the WHO 1975 set target on “Health for All by the Year 2000” (Van Ginneken et, al. 2010). The conference identified CHWs as a third workforce for “Human Resources for Health” (Sein 2006), and since that declaration, CHWs work in areas that are not easy to reach worldwide (WHO 2006). Community Health Workers often work on voluntary basis and are agents of social change within primary health care realm (Lewin et, al.2010; Werner and Bower 1982). Whilst CHWs have either complimented the work of trained health personnel, and or assumed specific responsibilities, there has been disagreements regarding their roles and how they are managed (Mwai et, al. 2014). Another view is that they should operate from primary health facilities; and others have also questioned the selection criteria and the reporting structures (Sanders 1990; Schneider et, al. 2010). Some however have advocated for their role