A Study to Assess the Gaps in the Knowledge and Practices of Anganwadi Workers in a Rural Area of Meerut - A Situational Analysis on Umbrella ICDS Scheme

Context: Anganwadi centres established under ICDS Scheme has been planned to be used as platforms for implementing a series of national health programs. To understand the knowledge of anganwadi workers for the existing scheme and proposed programs and its implication on the attitude and practices the present study has been planned. Settings and Design: The present cross sectional descriptive study has been undertaken in a rural block of Meerut from January 2017 to June 2017 covering all anganwadi and anganwadi centres. (n = 180) Methods and Material: A list of anganwadi centres and workers was obtained from Block level CDPO office and the anganwadi workers were contacted prior to the day of data collection. The data on socio demographic factors, knowledge and practices carried under ICDS scheme, Bal Swasthya Poshan Mah (BSPM), National Iron Plus initiative (NIPI), Poshan Abhiyan etc was captured using structured questionnaire by a single observer. The data was collected and analysed using epi info software. Results: The results we thus obtained from the present study revealed that knowledge regarding various activities is adequate among the anganwadi workers but it’s on ground implementation is lacking. Conclusions: The present study conclude that there is a major knowledge – practice gap among the anganwadi workers and there is a need for a robust mechanism to strengthen the existing processes for on ground implementation of the schemes.