ABSTRACT
Background: The integrated childhood development services (ICDS) scheme, launched on 2nd November 1975 is India’s foremost program imparting comprehensive and cost-effective services for children and maternal health through designated anganwadi centers (AWCs). AWCs deliver services right at the doorsteps of the beneficiaries to ensure their maximum participation.Methods: This was a cross sectional descriptive study conducted in 37 AWCs of the urban area in Kathua district from March to May 2019. A checklist was used to assess the physical infrastructure of AWC and logistics available.Results: A total of 37 AWCs were visited. Majority of the AWCs (94.5%) were running in a rented building and had only room. and 86.4% have pucca type of center. Almost half (51.3%) of the anganwadi workers had >10 years of experience. 32.4% of the AWWs received education up to 12th standard. Weighing machines were available in 89.1% of the centers whereas Salter weighing machine was present only in 23 centers.Conclusions: Present case study unveils deficiencies in infrastructure and logistics at the centers. Emphasis should be given to strengthen the basic infrastructure of AWCs which would further help in delivering quality services to the beneficiaries
ABSTRACT
Background: The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme has been operational for more than three decades in India. Objective: To evaluate the various aspects of the ICDS program in terms of inputs, process and outcome (coverage), utilization, and issues related to the ICDS program. Methods: A total of 130 Anganwadi centers (AWCs) were selected including 95 AWCs from rural areas and 35 AWCs from urban areas from April 2012 to March 2015, from 12 districts of Gujarat and the union territory of Diu. Information was collected for infrastructure, baseline characteristics of AWWs, provision, coverage and utilization of various ICDS services, and various issues related to program operation. Results: A majority of pregnant (94.7%) and lactating (74.4%) mothers, and adolescent girls (86.6%) were availing ICDS services. In 96.9% of the AWCs, a growth chart was available and 92.3% AWWs were using it accurately. A total of 14.9% children were underweight including 13.5% moderately and 1.4% severely malnourished children. Two-third (66.2%) children were covered by supplementary nutrition (SN). Only 14.6% of the AWCs reported 100% preschool education (PSE) coverage among children. More than half (55.4%) of the AWCs reported an interruption in supply during the last 6 months. Various issues were reported by AWWs related to the ICDS. Conclusion: The study has reported gaps in terms of infrastructure facility, different trainings, coverage, supply, and provision of SN, status of PSE activities in AWCs, and provision of different services to the beneficiaries.
ABSTRACT
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.
ABSTRACT
In the the present study patients were divided into three study groups of thirty patients each, group 1 included Infertility patients, group 2 comprised of patients undergoing laparoscopy for ovarian cyst, chronic pelvic pain, fibroid uterus, adnexal mass etc. and group 3 had patients undergoing laparoscopic sterilization without any symptoms. Prevalence of endometriosis was found to be 12.2%.Highest being in Group 1(23.3%), followed by Group 2 (13.3%) and no cases of endometriosis were detected in Group 3. Peritoneum was involved in maximum cases with commonest lesion being subtle red lesion (71.4%).On comparing ultrasound with laparoscopy in endometriosis diagnosis, sensitivity of ultrasound was only 9%. Thus it is recommended that diagnostic laparoscopy in gold standard for the diagnosis of endometriosis.
ABSTRACT
A community based prospective study was conducted to find the association of maternal bio-social determinants with birth weight in urban slums. A random sample of 50 AWCs (7 AWC from each zone) catering the population of urban slums and constituting about 25% of the total was taken giving due representation to all zones. 303 expectant mothers registered with AWCs in their third trimester (>28 weeks of gestation) were followed till 7 days after delivery. The incidence of low birth weight in the study group was 23.1. The average birth weight of low birth weight babies was 1.98 + 0.47, while that in the normal birth weight of babies was 2.73 + 0.20.It was found that factors such as low maternal age, height, parity and occupation of mother are significantly associated with low birth weight babies.