Abstract
In the past, community health workers (CHWs) have been critical to epidemic response and preparedness. However, little is known about CHW contributions to the COVID-19 pandemic response in indigenous communities. Therefore, we interviewed indigenous community health workers in North Andean Ecuador to understand how their roles have changed to adapt to their community's evolving needs during the pandemic. We found that CHWs have been crucial in keeping their communities healthy during the pandemic, as they have been proactive in searching for new solutions to the emerging basic, health, and educational needs of their communities. Perceived lack of financial support and guidance were major barriers and limited their effectiveness. Despite this, the incredible resilience CHWs displayed amidst the pandemic demonstrates the importance of supporting CHWs and keeping the community at the forefront during acute public health crises.
