Are Anganwadi Teachers the Ultimate Health Guides for Under-Five

Today's children are tomorrow's hope, who can constitute a stronger nation. Growing children in their tender age are at increased risk of becoming sick especially children of under-five year. Communicable diseases are one of the leading cause of death among Under-five children. It's transmitted through direct contact with infectious pathogens include some viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, multicellular parasites and aberrant proteins known as prions. Transmission of pathogens can occur in various ways including physical contact, contaminated food, body fluids, objects, airborne inhalation and through vector organisms. In this era under five children's are suffering and dying each year due to the communicable diseases like malaria, diarrhoea, and scabies etc. Anganwadi teachers are influential people in the community who are able to disseminate the knowledge to children's as well as to the care givers. An ganwadi teachers can educate the mother regarding the upliftment of the health of their children, and thereby they can minimize the health problems among children. A study was conducted among 300 primary care givers regarding knowledge, attitude and practices regarding communicable diseases in Kampala district revealed that 40% of anganwadi teachers are not having adequate knowledge regarding treatment of communicable diseases. It is therefore desirable that these teachers have the knowledge prevent and manage communicable diseases among their children in any eventuality. Hence investigator felt to develop a planned teaching programme among primary caregivers here anganwadi teachers to improve their knowledge. In this study the pre-test majority (63%) samples had moderate knowledge level, (10%) samples had inadequate knowledge on prevention of selected communicable diseases among under five children. There is a significant increase in knowledge of anganwadi teachers after the introduction of planned teaching programme. During the post-test all (100%) anganwadi teachers gained adequate knowledge level of knowledge. The mean post-test knowledge score (22.7±1.70) was higher than the mean pre-test knowledge score (14.66±4.47).The 't' test (t29=2.05 p<0.005) was computed to compare the significant difference between the mean pre-test and posttest knowledge score. The calculated 't' value indicate that there is significant gain in knowledge score. The study concluded that planned teaching programme is effective in increasing the knowledge of anganwadi teachers regarding prevention of selected communicable diseases among under five children.