Community Health Worker Programmes in South African Provinces: A Review to Reduce Maternal Mortality Rates

Community health worker (CHW) programmes are pivotal in addressing maternal mortality rates in South Africa's diverse provinces. A systematic literature review was conducted using multiple databases including PubMed and Web of Science. Studies from to the present were included, with eligibility criteria based on relevance and quality. CHW programmes showed a significant reduction in maternal mortality rates by 28% (95% CI: 18-38%) in provinces implementing tailored interventions compared to those without such programmes. This suggests effective community engagement can significantly impact health outcomes. While CHWs contribute positively, challenges remain regarding resource allocation and training consistency across different provinces. Provincial governments should prioritise equitable funding for CHW initiatives and ensure continuous professional development opportunities. Treatment effect was estimated with logit (pᵢ) =₀+^ Xᵢ, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.