Adiestramiento y empleo de personal auxiliar de salud pública en América Latina

Abstract

The training and utilization of auxiliary health workers cannot be tackled on the basis of a universal formula applicable to all Latin American countries. Different geographic, ecnonomic, social, educational, and health conditions require specific approaches adjusted to the needs and possibilities of each country. The auxiliary health workers represent a special category of health workers of a permanent career, with precisely defined tasks and responsibilities. Auxiliary health workers as substitutes for individual categories of professional and technical health workers should be considered as a transitory measure to meet exceptional needs. The problem of training and utilizing auxiliary health workers should be dealt with as an integral part of the national health plan. The training programs for auxiliary health workers should be: (a) drawn up on the principle of teamwork and of integrated medicine which approaches each health problem from the social, preventive, and curative aspects; and (b) adjusted to the specific nature and actual conditions of their future work. The teaching programs should also comprise such elements as will develop in the trainee: (a) a sense of responsibility; (b) a sense of correct human relations; and (c) a right ethical attitude. One year should be the minimum and two years the maximum length of training. Among the methods of training, practical field work in