The Alma-Ata Declaration identified community health workers (CHWs) as one of the cornerstones of comprehensive primary health care who deliver low-cost primary health care services at the community and household level to protect and promote public health and link community members with primary health care facilities. 

The CHW approach provides an opportunity to engage many local stakeholders in local health issues and to motivate universities and nongovernmental organizations to become partners in health care delivery.

This report provides an overview of CHW programmes by introducing best practices and examining the success factors and challenges from both inside and outside the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

The major elements of scaling-up CHW programmes are outlined based on information collected from countries of the Region that are implementing CHW programmes. The report is aimed at policy-makers seeking to improve the access of all highly-disadvantaged groups to primary health care services through CHW programmes.