Strategic Evaluation of Community Health Activities: Case of the Parakou/N’Dali Health District

Abstract

Community health is based on primary health care and all countries must respect these principles of actions community-based health. <i>Objective</i> is to assess the relevance of community health activities in the Parakou / N'Dali Health District (PNHD) in 2020. <i>Method:</i> It was an evaluative observational cross-sectional study with an analytical aim carried out from August to September 2020. It focused on the community volunteer, qualified community health workers, local elected officials and health professionals of PNHD. Assessment of the relevance of activities at the community were in three dimensions: the relevance of the activities, the adequacy of the profile of agents committed to this task and respect for the principles of community action. Overall relevancy assessment ruled according to the Varkevisser rating scale. <i>Results</i>: The relevance of community health activities in the PNHD is poor (69.0%). Community volunteer does not have an adequate profile to carry out community health activities in basis of Primary Health Care (76.6%) and the basic principles of community action were not respect for 43.0%. Associated factors with the relevance of the activities observed are age between 40 and 60 (p˂.01), the gender of actors (p=.035). <i>Conclusion</i>: The community health activities carried out in the PNHD are globally not relevant as challenges persisted and required a great effort on human resources.