# Eliminating ghost workers and optimizing resources to strengthen Community Health Worker programs in sub-Saharan Africa

## TL;DR

This paper explores how removing ghost workers and reforming healthcare can improve funding and integration of community health workers in sub-Saharan Africa.

## Contribution

The paper proposes a novel approach to optimize resources by eliminating ghost workers and reforming healthcare systems.

## Key findings

- Eliminating ghost workers can free up funds for better compensation of community health workers.
- Healthcare reform can help integrate CHWs into civil service programs effectively.

## Abstract

Although community health workers (CHWs) play a vital role in filling health workforce gaps, they remain inadequately compensated due to insufficient domestic financing. In this Policy Forum article, Temesgen Ayehu and colleagues discuss how elimination of ghost workers and healthcare reform in Sub-Saharan Africa can release funds to properly pay and integrate CHWs into civil service programs.