Community Health Extension Worker Duties and Salary in Nigeria (2023)

The medical industry is vast, with numerous sub-professional sectors that collectively work as a team to care for the patient and advance the welfare of a country. 

Community Health extension workers (CHEW) are the medical professions that will be covered in today's discussion. They are renowned for carrying out a range of healthcare tasks. They frequently work in nursing homes, some in-state general hospitals, and primary healthcare centers (PHC).

In Nigeria, salaries for community health extension workers range from 60,000 to 150,000 Naira.

What is the Nigerian pay scale for community health extension workers?

Entry Level Salary (Naira) 60,000 Experienced 150,000

In addition to their job description, we are curious about community health extension workers' monthly salaries in Nigeria. To learn everything you need to know, keep reading.

People that perform a range of significant healthcare jobs, primarily in their community, are known as community health extension workers. They have received training in managing the care of people who are nearing the end of their lives so they might live healthier and longer lives.

Also Read: List of Approved College of Health Technology Training Community Health Extension Workers in Nigeria

In Nigeria, community health extension workers operate at the PHC level in rural areas because they play a crucial role in preventative medicine.

To expand their knowledge and enhance their skills so they may successfully carry out their duties with little to no supervision, they have trained professionals who got both formal and practical training.

Another issue of concern is the way these specialists are paid. It is necessary to know whether a course is lucrative with an alluring wage in order to decide whether or not to follow it.

In order to understand everything you need to know about community health extension workers' wages, make sure to read this article all the way through.

Community Health Extension Workers Salary in Nigeria

In Nigeria, the majority of professionals are paid a salary, which is typically given out at the end of the month. The goal is to compensate employees for their toil and contribution to the organization's production.

Community health extension workers in Nigeria earn about 60,000 Naira to 150,000 Naira.

However, the salary range can increase or decrease depending on job level, years of work experience, location of a healthcare facility, and the sector of the health facility you are employed.

Note that community health extension workers employed in private clinics earn less than the stated salary with some earning as low as 40,000 Naira. Also, those working in federal health facilities earn higher than those at the state and local health facilities.

Average Salary

As we continue to reveal the salary structure of community health extension workers in Nigeria, we thought it would be appropriate to disclose the average salary earned by these professionals.

The average salary for community health extension workers in Nigeria is 80,000 Naira. Employees that earn this amount are those with about 4-9 years of work experience.

Be aware that some community health extension workers make less than the monthly wage that is specified, while others make more.

Pay at Entry Level

You are an entry-level employee if you have less than two years of job experience. As a result, you shouldn't anticipate that your pay will be significantly higher than the average or senior-level pay.

Therefore, the starting salary for a community health extension worker in Nigeria is between 60,000 and 75,000 Naira per month.

There is a tendency for the salary to be higher or lesser than the stated amount. Note that community health extension workers employed in private clinics earn less than those in government-owned hospitals.

Senior Level Salary

Senior-level salary is the amount paid to senior employees of an organization. as a community health extension worker, before you can earn this amount, your work experience must be from 10-years and above.

As such, senior-level community health extension workers earn the highest salary earned per month beginning from 175,000 Naira. Note that the amount you will earn can be higher than the stated amount.

Where can they Work?

One of the reasons why many persons opt to study a course is because of their employment status. This means it is possible to a job almost immediately after graduation. Can we say the same thing about the community health extension profession?

I know you have an inkling about Community health extension workers’ salaries and from what you have read so far, you must be interested.

From our discussion so far, it is obvious that community health extension workers are medical professionals as their primary place of assignment or where they work in the healthcare facility, especially at the Primary Healthcare facility established in rural communities.

However, some of these professionals also work in university teaching hospitals/federal medical centres as well as family medicine, nursing homes and general hospitals at the state level. Some go into private practice by establishing their clinic.

Outside the hospital arena, community extension workers can work in

– Medical organizations

– Health maintenance organizations

– Non-governmental organizations

– Tutors in an academic institution

So, with this, you should further be convinced that this course is viable and you can make a profession from it considering the job opportunities available within and outside the hospital or clinical arena.

Types of Jobs available for Community Health Extension Workers

Community health extension workers are familiar with local requirements and sensitivities, allowing them to gain their patients’ trust and bring them to clinics for medical treatment.

– Community mobilization officers

– Health promoter

– Health coordinator

– Nutrition and Health officer

– Health supervisor

– Advocacy

– Outreach enrollment

– Social-emotional support

– Education

Overall, the job of community health extension workers is chiefly to supervise and coordinate the affairs of primary healthcare services. Interestingly, the services of these professionals are needed in most non-governmental organizations where they carry out different types of jobs which are highlighted above.

Roles / Duties of Community Health Extension Workers

The duties and roles of community health extension workers in Nigeria cannot be undermined. Since the medical doctors are found at the secondary and tertiary healthcare levels, these professionals make it their duty to work in the primary healthcare where they can take care of patients at the rural level.

So, if you are still motivated to train as a community health extension worker, it will do you good to have a foreknowledge regarding the roles and duties of these professionals so you will have an idea of what they do.

Therefore, in their communities, community health extension workers do a range of crucial healthcare duties, such as:

• Treatment for minor illnesses
• First aid and other fundamental medical services should be offered.
• Supervise the treatment of terminally sick patients so that they can live healthier and longer lives.
• Assist poor people in overcoming the barriers that keep them from accessing necessary healthcare.
• Act as healthcare educators, educating people about the various healthcare solutions accessible.
• Keep an eye out for those who appear to be developing a serious condition.
• Have in-depth awareness of the difficulties that patients who seek healthcare confront.
• Patients should be treated at home so that they do not risk contracting or spreading sickness at a hospital or clinic.
• Caring for expectant mothers
• To develop community activities that promote, maintain, and improve individual and community health, do community outreach for medical professionals or health groups.
• looking after children
• Making referrals for medical care
• Promotion of sanitation and hygiene
• A communicable diseases checkup

These are not the entire roles they play as the list is exhaustive. However, the highlighted roles above are to give you a view of the duties they perform in the community where they are posted to work.

How to become a Community Health Extension Worker

Becoming a community health extension worker is not different from the process of most medical professions. You are required to get formal training in an accredited academic institution offering the course.

Also, there are healthcare facilities, both private and government-owned that you can enrol on for practical training.

The programme duration takes about 2-3 years. During the training, you will be thoroughly trained and furnished with the knowledge and technical know-how of the profession so that you can perform optimally with little or no supervision required.

Required Skill to become a Community Health Extension Worker

Becoming an excellent and outstanding community health extension worker requires not just intellect or knowledge of the profession alone but also requires many core skills training.

The essence of familiarizing yourself with these skills will help enhance your productivity and render quality healthcare services to the patients you have an encounter at the healthcare facility.

The following are common skills required to become a community health extension worker in Nigeria.

1. Instructional skills
2. Analytical skills
3. Ability to assume a wide variety of roles in healthcare
4. Ability to write legibly for record-keeping purposes
5. Problem-solving skills
6. Ability to work with other healthcare professionals.
7. Must be well educated
8. Advocacy and capacity building skills
9. Ability to communicate fluently with the people of the community where they serve.
10. Relationship-building skill
11. Cultural competence
12. Advocacy and capacity-building
13. Educational and facilitation skills
14. Must be able to carry out research and evaluation

Community Health Extension Worker Interview Questions

Our field is always changing. As such, what have you done with regards to personal development when it comes to a COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER POSITION in the last 12 months?

1. Describe an experience where you advise clients or community groups to ensure parental understanding of the importance of childhood immunizations and how to access immunization service. How was it received?

2. Share a system you use to maintain updated client records with plans, notes, appropriate forms, or related information. Why is record keeping important?

3. Describe an experience where you advise clients or community groups on issues related to improving general health, such as diet or exercise.

4. Name a time when you developed plans or formal contracts for individuals, families, or community groups to improve overall health.

5. How often do you conduct home visits for pregnant women, newborn infants, or other high-risk individuals to monitor their progress or assess their needs? Should more time be spent on pregnant women?

6. What is the key to success with teaching appropriate parenting behaviors to individuals or families? Share an example.

Conclusion

We have come to the end of our discourse about Community health extension workers’ salaries in Nigeria. I believe you have an inkling concerning the nature of the salary payment of this profession and also the viability of what they do. Presently, more of these professionals are required to manage the primary healthcare facilities in the rural areas to promote quality healthcare, you can take advantage of this to study the course and become a professional community health extension worker in Nigeria.