An Evaluative Study On Integrated Child Development Services In Urban Slums Of Jamnagar City, Gujarat
An Evaluative Study On Integrated Child Development Services
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70284/njirm.v4i1.2129Keywords:
Anganwadi Centers, Anganwadi Workers, Integrated Child Development Scheme, evaluationAbstract
Background: Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) is one of the world’s largest community based schemes running in India for over three decades. Frequent evaluations of the scheme have been conducted to make it more effective to promote early childhood care. Objectives: Comprehensive assessment of services provided under ICDS in urban slums of Jamnagar city of Gujarat state. Methods: It was decided to study 15% of the total 297 AWCs of the city through Simple Random Sampling technique. The AWCs visited were evaluated with respect to infrastructure facility of the centre, record keeping activity & knowledge of AWWs, availability of essential drugs & logistics. Results: A total of 48 centers were evaluated. 24 centers operated from Kutcha or semi-pucca buildings and toilet facilities were lacking at 20 of the centers. Only about 44% of the enrolled 3-6 years children were present at the AWC on the day of visit. Nearly 40% of the enrolled children had varying grades of malnutrition. Unavailability of medicine kits & other logistics, was observed. Three fourth of the AWW described providing non-formal preschool education & supplementary nutrition as their only responsibilities forgetting other essential components of their service. One fourth of the AWW did not know proper time to initiate Breast Feeding and over one third (37.5%) of them did not know the Universal Immunisation Program schedule fully. Less honorarium & poor quality of supplementary food were their main difficulties. Conclusion: the AWC currently acts merely as a food distribution centre with minimal provision of other services. Regular growth monitoring of the children along with supervision of the services provided would be far more effective in improving the nutritional status of the children than supplementary nutrition alone.
References
1. 2.Shahanaz V, Naidu NA, Vidyasagar P. Nutritional status, Psychological development and the Home environment of Indian rural children. Indian J Pediatr 1998;35:959-66.
2. International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS) and Macro International. 2007. National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3), 2005-06, India: Key Findings. Mumbai: IIPS.
3. Govt. of India. Integrated Child Development Services. Dept. of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Human Resources Development, New Delhi 1995; 1-24.
4. Chattopadhyay D. Knowledge and Skills of Anganwadi Workers in Hooghly District, West Bengal. Indian J Community Med 2004;29(3):117-8
5. Basta SS. Nutrition and health in low income urban area of third world. Ecol Food Nutrition 1997;6:113-24.
6. Dixit S, Sakalle S, Patel GS, Taneja G, Chourasiya S. Evaluation of functioning of ICDS project areas under Indore and Ujjain divisions of the
state of Madhya Pradesh.Online J Health Allied Scs. 2010;9(1):2. Url: http://www.ojhas.org/issue33/2010-1-2.htm
7. Seema TN.Performance of Anganwadi Centre in Kerala: An evaluation & experiment to develop a model with community participation. Published by Dr.K.N.Nair,Program Co-Ordinator, Kerala Research Program on Local Level Development.thiruvanthapuram. Url: http://www.krpcds.org.
8. ICDS - a turning-point of Indian public Health. Prof. F.U. Ahmed. Url:http://www.iphaonline.org/academy/concept-papers/pdf/icds_review.pdf
9. Chaudhary N, Mohanty PN and Sharma M. Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI)-Follow-up of Basic Health Workers. Indian J Pediatr 2005; 72(9): 735-739
10. Mononen K, Filaire, E., Alix, D., Ferrand, C, Verger, M. Psychophysiological stress in tennis players during the first single match of a tournament. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2009; 34 (1):150-7.
11. E E Solberg, F Ingjer, A Holen. Reviews of the literature, Recovery from a standardized exercise bout: a study on 31 runners practicing relaxation technique. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2000; 34:268-272.
12. Astin JA. Stress reduction through mindfulness meditation: Effects on psychological symtomatology, sense of control and spiritual experiences. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. 1997; 66(2): 97-106.
13. Burrow GN. The Thyroid: nodules and neoplasia. In: Fleig P, Baxter JD, Broadus AE, Frohman LA, editors. Endocrinology and metabolism. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill. 1989: 473-507.
14. Pal GK and Pal Pravati. Brainstem auditory evoked potential. In: Text book of practical physiology. 2nd ed. Chennai: Orient Longman. 2005: 305-309
