Rapidly adapted community health strategies to prevent treatment interruption and improve COVID-19 detection for Syrian refugees and the host population with hypertension and diabetes in Jordan

This study evaluated community health volunteer (CHV) strategies to prevent non-communicable disease (NCD) care disruption and promote the detection of COVID-19 among Syrian refugees and vulnerable Jordanians, as the pandemic started.

Alongside medication delivery, CHVs called patients monthly to assess stockouts and adherence, provide self-management and psychosocial support, and screen and refer for complications and COVID-19 testing.

The paper finds that during multiple crises, CHVs prevented care disruption and reinforced COVID-19 detection. The CHV strategy was found to be cost-efficient, but the study recognised that funding secondary care was challenging.