Assessing the Need for Periodic Training of ASHA under National Rural Health Mission
Partner/Implementing Organizations
Population Foundation of India
Geographic focus
Uttar Pradesh
Project period
June 7, 2010 – December 6, 2010
Goal
Assess the training needs of ASHAs (Accredited Social Health Activists) and provide recommendations for the content of the periodic training module, as requested by the NRHM, Government of Uttar Pradesh (GoUP).
Objectives
- To assess the knowledge level of ASHAs and identify the deficits in performance of their duties.
- To make recommendations to the GoUP on content of the periodic training module.
Key strategy
The Government of India (GoI) launched the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) to address the health needs of rural populations. ASHAs are appointed to interface between the community and the public health system in each village. The NRHM has designed an induction-training programme for ASHAs and two-day refresher trainings are proposed to be held every second month.
In order to take stock of what ASHAs have gained and retained in terms of knowledge from the induction training, and to identify any gaps between expected and actual knowledge in post training retention, PFI is conducting an assessment of additional training needs.
The study used a cross-sectional quantitative design. The sample was spread over 10 districts (Lalitpur, Mathura, Saharanpur, Shahjahanpur, Sitapur, Varanasi, Basti, Kausambi, Bahraich and Banda), covering two blocks in each district. This is also representative of the five administrative regions in the state as identified by GoUP. A total of 640 interviews were conducted using structured questionnaires with 300 ASHAs, 20 AWWs, 20 ANMs, and 300 ASHA beneficiaries (pregnant women, lactating mothers, mothers with infants between the ages of 7-12 months).