The African Union Covid-19 training for community workers was developed jointly by the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), SACIDS Foundation for One Health (SACIDS), the UK Public Health Rapid Support Team (UK-PHRST) and US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US-CDC).  

The Partnership to Accelerate Covid-19 Testing Initiative (PACT) was established by Africa CDC to take forward the African Union Joint Continental Strategy for Covid-19 which aims to prevent the spread of the disease and deaths and to reduce the social and economic harm associated with the pandemic. The training module was designed to give community health workers a rapid orientation. The two-day course, primarily designed and developed by SACIDS Foundation, is comprised of ten sessions which cover transmission and prevention including the risks factors for the disease globally such as age, obesity and gender, as well as those still being explored which may have more of an effect in Africa, such as HIV and TB, malaria and other endemic diseases, poor access to water and sanitation, overcrowding, malnourishment and low socio-economic status.  

The role of community health workers is covered along with the importance of community-based surveillance and engagement and the impact of the speed of response. Participants learn how to observe and gather information and intelligence from community groups and leaders, social networks, and the media. Personal security and protection, Covid-19 algorithms, contact tracing and how to support people in quarantine and isolation are also covered.