Practice Assignment 2: Small Case Study Analysis

Practice Assignment 2: Small Case Study Analysis Instructions: 1. Read the following case study carefully. 2. Answer the questions below based on the case study. _________________________________________________________________________ Case Study: The Role of Community Health Workers (CHWs) in Epidemic Response To control the spread of Zika virus during its recent outbreak in South America, it was significant that community health workers took part. They conducted door to door awareness campaigns, distributed mosquito nets and taught people about the need of eliminating stagnant water with mosquitoes. Although they tried their best, the outbreak had severe effects especially on pregnant women who experienced an increase in congenital disorders. Questions: 1. Describe the main responsibilities of Community Health Workers (CHWs) in the context of the Zika virus outbreak. 2. Discuss two major challenges CHWs faced during the outbreak and suggest possible solutions for each. 3. Evaluate the effectiveness of community-based interventions in controlling the Zika virus compared to top-down governmental approaches. Use examples from the case study. _________________________________________________________________________ Answers: 1. - Main responsibilities of CHWs: Door-to-door awareness campaigns Distributed mosquito nets Educated communities on eliminating standing water Supported pregnant women Monitored and reported new cases 2. Major challenges faced by CHWs and solutions: ● Challenge 1: Limited resources (nets/materials) - Solution: Partner with NGOs, start donation drives ● Challenge 2: Community resistance, lack of trust - Solution: Engage local leaders, use local languages, build trust through consistent presence 3. Effectiveness of community-based interventions: Pros of community-based: Direct engagement, personalized approach, effective info dissemination - e.g: Door-to-door campaigns reaching vulnerable populations - Cons of top-down approaches: Lack personal touch, slower feedback - e.g: Policies are good, but lack immediate community connection