Last Mile Health’s Impact in Remote Areas

Genesis Whegelee, a dedicated community health worker for Last Mile Health in Rivercess County, Liberia, has been visiting households since 2018. He monitors sick children, assists pregnant women, and addresses health problems in the community.

Last Mile Health aims to provide healthcare to Liberia’s most remote areas.

In 2007, Dr. Raj Panjabi co-founded Last Mile Health (LMH) with the help of $6,000 raised from wedding guests. His vision was to offer medical care to Liberia’s distant regions. Today, LMH has received the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize, which includes a $3 million award. This prize recognizes nonprofits making immense contributions to reducing human suffering.

LMH initially started with 17 workers using the $6,000raised. By engaging community health workers, LMH overcame the challenge of scarce medical resources in Liberia. These workers, typically with primary education, undergo eight weeks of training. They learn to diagnose and treat illnesses like malaria and pneumonia in children and help expectant mothers create safe birth plans. They also monitor for new diseases and outbreaks.

Support from governments and philanthropic organizations allowed LMH to expand. In 2010, they began caring for HIV/AIDS patients across 12 of Liberia’s 15 counties. They partnered with the Government of Liberia and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. During the 2014-16 Ebola epidemic, they trained over 1,300 community health workers to curb the outbreak.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, LMH delivered 6.2 million pieces of personal protective equipment. Their door-to-door vaccination efforts helped Liberia achieve an 81% vaccination rate despite its financial constraints. Today, LMH supports 20,000 community health workers who assist 32 million individuals across Liberia, Ethiopia, Malawi, and Sierra Leone. They have also established a digital training program.

Lisha McCormick, LMH’s CEO, highlights the challenge of providing medical services to remote regions. Approximately two billion people worldwide lack proper healthcare access. LMH strives to reach these communities.

Last Mile Health has addressed healthcare challenges in remote areas.

Peter Laugharn, CEO of the Hilton Foundation, emphasizes the urgency of LMH’s mission, noting, “Health systems in the hardest-to-reach regions still face enormous strain.” Panjabi adds that current funding trends risk millions of additional deaths by 2030, especially if countries cut foreign aid.

A study in the Lancet found U.S. foreign aid cuts could lead to over 14 million extra deaths by 2030, including over 4.5 million children under five. Panjabi argues for preemptive disease detection as a cost-effective approach, with community health workers playing a crucial role. Research supports this, indicating they provide care at a median cost of $0.59 per person annually, according to an analysis of 255 studies on the SSRN platform.

Whegelee’s experience underscores these findings. In his role, he visits 42 households on a set rotation to address healthcare needs. His tasks include checking for illness, educating on sanitation, and recommending medical attention when necessary. Whegelee shares a story of helping a critically ill child by providing care and ensuring follow-up.

He recounts convincing a skeptical father of the importance of hospital births for safety. In routine visits, he continues to support the family with advice on vaccinations and breastfeeding. Such encounters demonstrate the vital role community health workers play as primary contacts for healthcare systems.

With the Hilton Foundation grant, LMH plans to reach 50 million people by 2028. They will also continue working with Africa Frontline First to enhance community health worker initiatives. McCormick notes that while community health worker programs exist, LMH has focused on professionalizing them. The goal remains clear: “To put a health worker in reach of everyone, everywhere.”

Diane Cole, the author of this report, contributes to publications such as The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post and has written the memoir After Great Pain: A New Life Emerges.