Review of Village Health Committee Functions and Their Impact on Primary Care Strengthening Efforts

• Author(s): Funmi Eko Ezeh ; Stephanie Onyekachi Oparah
• Paper ID: 1711296
• Page: 358-400
• Published Date: 31-03-2019
• Published In: Iconic Research And Engineering Journals
• Publisher: IRE Journals
• e-ISSN: 2456-8880
• Volume/Issue: Volume 2 Issue 9 March-2019

Abstract

Village Health Committees have emerged as critical institutional mechanisms for strengthening primary healthcare delivery systems in low- and middle-income countries, representing a pivotal bridge between formal healthcare infrastructure and community-level health needs. This comprehensive review examines the multifaceted functions of Village Health Committees and systematically analyzes their impact on primary care strengthening efforts across diverse geographical and socioeconomic contexts. The evolution of community-based health governance structures reflects a fundamental shift from top-down healthcare delivery models toward participatory approaches that recognize communities as active stakeholders in health system design, implementation, and monitoring (Zakus & Lysack, 1998; Bender & Pitkin, 1987). Village Health Committees perform essential functions including health needs assessment, resource mobilization, health worker supervision, community health education, and advocacy for improved service delivery (George et al., 2015). These committees serve as organizational platforms for translating national health policies into locally relevant interventions while simultaneously channeling community priorities upward to district and national health planning bodies (Marsh et al., 2008; Grundy, 2010). The effectiveness of Village Health Committees in strengthening primary care depends critically on factors such as governance structures, training adequacy, resource availability, intersectoral collaboration, and integration with formal health systems (Kok et al., 2015). Evidence demonstrates that well-functioning Village Health Committees contribute significantly to improved immunization coverage (Bonu et al., 2003; Ladner et al., 2014), enhanced maternal and child health outcomes (Black et al., 2017), increased health service utilization, and strengthened community ownership of health programs (Shediac-Rizkallah & Bone, 1998). However, substantial challenges persist including inadequate financial resources, insufficient training, unclear role delineation, political interference, and weak linkages with formal health facilities (Nkomazana et al., 2015). This review synthesizes evidence from multiple contexts to provide a comprehensive understanding of how Village Health Committees function as instrumental vehicles for primary care strengthening, identifies critical success factors, and proposes evidence-based recommendations for optimizing their contributions to health system resilience and community health improvement (Vanselow et al., 1996; Wallerstein et al., 2015).

Keywords

Village Health Committees, Primary Healthcare, Community Participation, Health Governance, Health Systems Strengthening, Community Health Workers, Participatory Health Planning, Health Service Delivery

Citations

IRE Journals:
Funmi Eko Ezeh , Stephanie Onyekachi Oparah "Review of Village Health Committee Functions and Their Impact on Primary Care Strengthening Efforts" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals Volume 2 Issue 9 2019 Page 358-400

IEEE:
Funmi Eko Ezeh , Stephanie Onyekachi Oparah "Review of Village Health Committee Functions and Their Impact on Primary Care Strengthening Efforts" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, 2(9)