Save Lives in the World's Most Remote Villages

Last Mile Health saves lives in the world’s most remote communities by partnering with governments to design, scale, and advocate for national networks of professional community health workers. Recruited from within their home communities, these workers strengthen health systems and transform health outcomes at the last mile by delivering an integrated package of lifesaving healthcare services directly to their neighbors’ doorsteps.

Having grown up in rural Liberia, Darius was introduced to the medical field at a young age by his mother who worked as a nurse at a local health facility. After graduating from the Deanna Kay Isaacson School of Midwifery in nearby Zwedru, he went on to work as a midwife at the county’s main referral hospital for two years before accepting a job in Konobo as a Community Health Services Supervisor in July 2017. Reflecting on his decision to become a clinician, he is quick to stress his passion for the job, emphasizing that he “decided to be a clinician not [just] because my mother was a part of this field.”

In what he describes as a challenging and rewarding new role, Darius joins a growing network of more than 300 Community Health Services Supervisors nationwide who are leading the roll-out of the National Community Health Assistant (CHA) Program. Under this initiative, he spends 80 percent of his work week traveling by motorbike or on foot through dense rainforest to reach the CHAs assigned to him for supervision and mentorship. One day a week is reserved for the provision of direct patient care at the district health center.

In taking on this demanding role in one of Liberia’s most isolated districts, Darius’ assignment in Konobo sets him at the heart of the program’s humble roots. In the aftermath of the devastating Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the Government of Liberia set out to design a strategy for extending lifesaving healthcare to the country’s remote communities. Inspired by the success of Last Mile Health’s community health worker pilot project launched in Konobo District in 2012, the Ministry of Health called upon Last Mile Health to support the design and implementation of the National CHA Program. What began as a small program with just a handful of community health workers helped to inform an ambitious, nationwide initiative that is well on its way to ensuring that all 1.2 million Liberians who live more than five kilometers from the nearest clinic or hospital have access to a trained, supervised community health worker.

Reflecting on what initially inspired him to enroll in midwifery school, Darius reports that he is inspired by the progress that his CHAs have achieved thus far and is eager to continue using his skills as a clinician to improve health outcomes for women and child at the last mile. “I came to work in this particular field so that I can reach to the people that the health facility cannot cover,” he shared with pride. “I am working for my community and the people are benefitting from the work that I’m doing, so I’m enjoying the job.”

This month, Grace reached an exciting milestone in her personal life, the life of her community, and the history of Liberia. Formerly a full-time subsistence farmer, Grace has been serving as a community health worker with Last Mile Health and the Government of Liberia in a remote region of Rivercess County since 2015. After years of building trust within her community and undergoing several rounds of rigorous training, Grace is now fully-qualified to provide a comprehensive package of lifesaving healthcare services to her neighbors.

For more than two years, Last Mile Health has been working with the Government of Liberia and other partners to develop a nationwide community health worker program to serve the 1.2 million Liberians who live far from the nearest health clinic or hospital. In January 2017, the vision of access to healthcare for all Liberians came to life with the launch of community health worker trainings across Liberia. Just six months later, a total of 2,023 community health workers like Grace are now fully-trained to care for pregnant women and neonates; diagnose and treat common childhood illnesses; provide support to patients living with HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and specific Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs); and prevent outbreaks of infectious disease.

By completing her training, Grace has become part of a transformative moment in Liberia’s history. At the national level, the launch of this groundbreaking program will extend lifesaving healthcare to corners of the country previously thought to be too difficult to reach. And since Grace and her fellow community health workers are trained to recognize and report the early signs of a potential infectious disease outbreak, they will play a critical role in building a safer, healthier future for all Liberians no matter where they live.

At home in her remote community in Rivercess, Grace’s training is already having an impact on the lives of her neighbors – particularly women and children. For the first time ever, those living in the large farming community far from the nearest clinic have access to a full suite of healthcare services right at their doorsteps. When a child falls ill, they can receive a diagnosis and treatment from Grace within hours instead of having to wait days or even weeks until transport to the health facility can be arranged. And when a woman becomes pregnant, Grace will stop by regularly to monitor for complications, help the woman develop a plan to travel to the clinic for the delivery, and provide education on topics like breastfeeding and proper nutrition during pregnancy.

And for Grace herself, her role in transforming access to healthcare is fulfilling a deep sense of meaning and purpose. “I have a passion for my community people, so I don’t want to see anybody’s life going away,” Grace shared. “That is the reason for which I want to do this job.”