ABSTRACT
The National Guideline for Implementation of Integrated Community-Based Health Services has been developed by the Ministry of Health and WellnessDepartment of Health Services Management as a technical tool. This guideline is a reflection of the Ministry's commitment to strengthening primary health care and implementation of the Harmonization of Botswana's Community Health Workers Groups: Primary Health CareCommunity Health Workers (PHC-CHW) Coordination Strategy launched in 2017. Seeking to promote an integrated approach to community-based health service delivery and standardize a minimum package of community-based health interventions, the guideline also reflects the country's commitment to local and global health sector goals. The specific objectives are to provide technical and programmatic guidance including: ⢠Improving the delivery of integrated community-based health interventions through provision of a standardized minimum package ⢠Strengthening coordination and management of community-based health services through harmonized community health workers groups, leadership and governance ⢠Strengthening CHWs competencies and skill mix for delivery of integrated communitybased health services ⢠Strengthening information management for integrated community-based health services The guideline will benefit various actors and stakeholders including policymakers, managers, Ministries, and CHWs who are responsible for managing and implementing community-based health services. A multidisciplinary team developed the initial concept for the guideline and engaged in an interactive and extended collaborative process of reviewing and refining the scope and content. The guideline is the first publication on community health services and mirrors the primary health care guideline in the way the minimum package is developed. The guideline is intended to be easy to read and user friendly, and will be placed in all facilities for reference. It also includes a curriculum for CHWs in the era of COVID-19.