World Journal of
Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences

ASSESSMENT OF THE ANGANWADI CENTRES IN THE RURAL FIELD PRACTICE AREA OF MAHARAJA AGRASEN HIMALAYAN GARHWAL UNIVERSITY, POKHRA, PAURI GARHWAL-246169, UTTARAKHAND

Virendra Singh, Akash Negi, Abhisek Ghansela, Saurabh Saklani*, Poonam Rishishwar and Sanjay Rishishwar

ABSTRACT

Anganwadi centers are the focal units for the implementation of the Integrated Child Development Services projects in each block. Anganwadi centres cater to the children up to the age of 6 years, pregnant and lactating mothers, adolescent girls and women in the reproductive age group. Anganwadi centres (AWCs) under Integrated Childhood Development Services (ICDS) scheme are the foremost symbol of the country’s commitment to its children and nursing mothers, as a response to the challenge of providing pre-school non-formal education on one hand and breaking the vicious cycle of malnutrition, morbidity, reduced learning capacity and mortality on the other. There are 77 anganwadi centres in the pokhra block, pauri garhwal-246169, uttarakhand rural field practice area of Maharaja Agrasen Himalayan Garhwal University, Pokhra, Pauri Garhwal-246169, Uttarakhand, India. Under the public private partnership model our institution provides immunization, health education, health check-up and referral services to these anganwadi centres. Material and Methods: 77 AWCs of rural areas were visited to assess their infrastructure and facilities provided by them to the beneficiaries. Data was collected by interviewing Anganwadi workers (AWWs) in a pretested, semi structured proforma and results were expressed as frequency and percentage. Results: AWCs were running through rented, inadequate accommodation facility. There were no separate kitchen and storage facilities. AWWs have not received refresher training. Nearly half of the AWCs don’t have medicine kit. Conclusion: There is need for improved infrastructure and facilities in AWCs along with regular supervision on services provided to the beneficiaries. Basic amenities like space for storage, kitchen and toilet and playing area for the children should be there in all the anganwadis. Pregnant and lactating mothers should be followed up to confirm whether they have been registered at any health centre and have received the requisite number of IFA and TT doses.

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