A stethescope./PHOTO; pexels-etatics-inc
The Johnson & Johnson (J&J) Foundation has stepped up its commitment to strengthening health systems in Africa with a new $5 million investment in the Africa Frontline First (AFF) Catalytic Fund.
The additional funding raises the Foundation’s total pledge to $20 million, making it one of the largest contributors to the initiative.
The AFF Catalytic Fund, hosted by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, is focused on building a sustainable cadre of professional community health workers (CHWs) across the continent.
Its goal is to integrate 200,000 trained, paid, and supervised CHWs into national health systems by 2030, expanding access to quality primary care for an estimated 100 million people.
Scaling frontline health delivery
Since its launch in 2022, the AFF Catalytic Fund has pooled $220 million in resources from both public and private partners.
These investments have already supported the recruitment, training, and integration of more than 68,000 CHWs across eight African countries, directly impacting 40 million people.
By channeling financing into frontline delivery, the Fund aims to address one of the most persistent gaps in healthcare: access at the community level.
The Johnson & Johnson Foundation’s latest contribution is part of J&J CareCommunity, a global platform designed to support nurses and CHWs.
The program reflects a recognition that these frontline workers are often the first and only point of contact for people in remote or underserved areas.
“Community health workers are uniquely positioned to deliver essential health services in their communities,” said Vanessa Broadhurst, Executive Vice President for Global Corporate Affairs at Johnson & Johnson.
“Expanding their numbers and addressing the challenges they face in delivering quality care has the potential to save millions of lives and lay the groundwork for stronger, locally-led health systems across Africa.”
A critical but undervalued workforce
Community health workers have been shown to improve health outcomes, reduce system costs, and expand access by delivering care where it is most needed.
They are particularly vital for maternal and child health, vaccination campaigns, and the management of infectious diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria.
Despite their impact, CHWs remain underrepresented and undercompensated. Only one in eight members of Africa’s health workforce are CHWs, and the majority of these workers serve without pay.
This gap undermines both the sustainability of health services and the equity of care, especially in rural and marginalized communities.
Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund, emphasized the need for greater investment:
“With greater investment, we can unlock the full potential and ensure communities have access to professionalized, trained, compensated and integrated community health workers.”
African-led, globally supported
The AFF Catalytic Fund was established through collaboration between Africa Frontline First, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), and the Global Fund.
Its origins lie in the Africa Frontline First initiative, launched by African leaders to strengthen community health systems at scale.
Former Liberian President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has been among its most visible champions.
The Fund supports governments to strengthen frontline systems in five areas: long-term sustainable financing, policies and structures that reinforce health systems, digital and data tools, the professionalization of CHWs, and robust supply chains.
By anchoring its strategy in government ownership and integration, the initiative seeks to ensure that investments lead to lasting improvements rather than short-term fixes.
Founding supporters include the Johnson & Johnson Foundation and the Skoll Foundation, alongside other philanthropic and multilateral partners.
Together, they are attempting to fill one of the most significant gaps in global health financing, consistent support for frontline health delivery.
Closing health equity gaps
For the Johnson & Johnson Foundation, the investment reflects its broader mission to reduce health inequities worldwide.
The Foundation, funded solely by Johnson & Johnson, backs both global and country-level partnerships to strengthen health systems and ensure that communities are not left behind.
Nurses and CHWs remain at the heart of its strategy, reflecting a belief that building resilient frontline workforces is critical to advancing access to quality healthcare.
The parent company, Johnson & Johnson, has framed this approach within its wider focus on healthcare innovation.
The company works across pharmaceuticals and medical technology with the ambition to make prevention, treatment, and cures more accessible and less invasive.
The Foundation’s community-level investments are intended to complement this by tackling systemic barriers to care.
Looking ahead
With Africa carrying 25% of the global disease burden but only 3% of the world’s health workforce, initiatives like the AFF Catalytic Fund are seen as essential to closing the gap.
The commitment to deploy 200,000 professional CHWs by 2030 is ambitious, but advocates argue it is necessary to build the foundation for universal health coverage on the continent.
By expanding its financial support, the Johnson & Johnson Foundation is signaling confidence in an African-led, globally supported model of community health.
As CHWs continue to provide trusted, life-saving care in their communities, sustained investment will determine how quickly and how equitably Africa can build stronger health systems for the future.
About Johnson & Johnson Foundation
The Johnson & Johnson Foundation is a registered charitable organization that reflects the commitment of Johnson & Johnson to create a world without health inequities by closing the gaps between communities and the care they need.
Funded solely by Johnson & Johnson, the Foundation supports both global and in-country partnerships and community-led initiatives to champion health workers, especially nurses and community health workers, and advance access to quality healthcare. Learn more at www.jnjfoundation.com.
