Impact Evaluation of Community Health Worker Programmes on Maternal and Neonatal Severe Infections in Rwandan Rural Areas: A Healthcare Accessibility Study

Maternal and neonatal severe infections pose significant health challenges in Rwandan rural areas, where healthcare accessibility is limited. A mixed-methods approach was employed, including surveys and qualitative interviews to assess CHW effectiveness and its influence on healthcare utilization. Community health workers significantly improved access to antenatal care by 45% (95% CI: 38-52%), leading to a reduction in severe infections among mothers and newborns. CHW programmes enhanced maternal and neonatal healthcare outcomes, particularly through increased engagement with community members. Further expansion of CHW networks is recommended to ensure comprehensive coverage across all rural areas. Treatment effect was estimated with $\text{logit}(p_i)=\beta_0+\beta^\top X_i$, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.