CBHFA approach is the Red Cross Red Crescent integrated primary health care approach to community health promotion. The CBHFA approach seeks to create healthy, resilient communities worldwide thus playing a vital part in IFRC`s Strategy 2020 and contributing to Millennium Development Goals 4, 5, 6 and 7.
CBHFA comprises a comprehensive approach to primary health care, first aid and emergency health preparedness at the community level. The CBHFA approach mobilizes communities and their volunteers to use simple tools, adapted to local context to address the priority health needs of a community and to empower them to be in charge of their own development.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have a long history of first aid and health promotion activities within communities. In the 1990s, Community Based First Aid (CBFA) was the principal method of reaching first aid and health to communities. In 2005, the CBFA revitalization process was started to improve the old CBFA learning materials and the community approach to be more action-oriented. In 2009 the revised CBHFA approach and materials were launched and disseminated. More than 300 participants from 104 National Societies (NSs) have participated in Master Facilitator workshops during 2007-2010. CBHFA materials were adapted and translated into more than 39 languages. 81 NSs are already implementing community health programmes using CBHFA approach with support from Federation, 18 partnering NSs and others.