Save Lives in the World's Most Remote Villages

Despite living in an age of unparalleled medical and technological innovations, one billion people still lack access to health care worldwide. To close this gap, Last Mile Health partners with governments to design, scale, strengthen, and sustain high-quality community health systems that extend care, save lives, and create jobs for underserved populations living in the most rural and remote communities. Founded in rural Liberia in 2007, the organization is now supporting the Ministry of Health to scale a National Community Health Worker Program that will deliver lifesaving services to every last child and family living beyond the reach of physical clinics and hospitals. This groundbreaking program was founded on the belief that a strong, resilient health system must reach every Liberian — no matter where they live.

Since the program’s launch in 2016, over 3,500 community and frontline health workers have been deployed to provide lifesaving care to every rural and remote Liberian. William - one of over 350 clinical supervisors deployed across Liberia – plays an essential role in the provision of quality health care at Liberia’s last mile. A trained midwife, William mentors and coaches community health workers to ensure they deliver the highest-quality of care, serving as a critical link between the community and the health center. He explains, “I’m proud of seeing myself supervising people, helping them to bring health to people. When they make mistakes, I correct them, and make sure that they bring quality services to people.”

1.2 million people in Liberia live more than five kilometers from a health center – many in remote communities in Liberia’s dense rainforest. For those who live hours - or even days - away from the nearest clinic, it used to be all too common for treatable conditions like malaria, a complicated childbirth, or untreated infection to be fatal. However, through the National Community Health Assistant Program, William sees how the health of people living in Liberia’s last mile communities has been transformed: “Before, there were a lot of cases that were killing children under five. But now – due to the Program – these cases have reduced. The workload from the clinic has also reduced, because most of the cases in the community have been addressed by the community health workers.” Through the program, over 790,000 sick child visits for the screening and treatment of malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia, and malnutrition have been carried out by this new workforce at the homes of the people they serve.

Liberia’s National Community Health Assistant Program has demonstrated that health care for all - no matter where people live - is possible. Clinical supervisors like William are playing a vital role in bringing quality primary health care within reach of everyone, everywhere. William’s drive comes from his vision of a world in which everyone can realize their right to health: “It has been my wish to serve humanity, and take health to places that health cannot reach, bringing health to people in need – that alone is my motivation”.