Background
The MENTOR Initiative (MENTOR) is a “not for profit”, charitable, non-governmental organization devoted to reducing death and suffering from malaria and other tropical diseases in humanitarian crises. MENTOR is currently providing ongoing emergency support to the most vulnerable communities in Angola, Mozambique, South Sudan, the Central African Republic (CAR), Syria and Southern Chad.
MENTOR has worked in CAR since 2008, instigating an effective and innovative community healthcare approach across the North West of the country. This approach allows for primary healthcare to be delivered in locations in the most remote rural communities. the MENTOR Initiative has been setting up networks of community health workers (CHWs) in the sub-prefectures of Paoua, Bocaranga, Koui and Ngaoundaye (Ouham Pendé prefecture) as well as in Markounda, Batangafo, Nangha Boguila and Nana Bakassa (Ouham Prefecture). Additionally, primary health structures are supported by MENTOR in all these sub-prefectures. More than 170,000 children were treated in 2017 by MENTOR teams through the provision of basic healthcare for malaria and other common diseases at community level. MENTOR’s community healthcare approach has identified several major challenges that need to be addressed, including the continued improvement of the quality of services, innovation in supervision, secondary curative care and training, all to be improved in line with new and innovative indicators.