“I organise UHND (Urban Health and Nutrition Day) regularly at my centre and keep advising mothers on the health benefits of breastfeeding for their child. Often, I feel demotivated to see that some lactating mothers still feed their new-borns other than breast milk, such as water,” shared Anjana Senapati, an Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) from Niladri Vihar, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, who works at the Urban Primary Health Clinic (UPHC).
Anjana’s experience is not uncommon, challenges like these can be readily observed in communities. This highlights the need for routine capacity-building of frontline health workers and Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA workers) to listen to the issues, equip them with information and techniques and encourage them to find customised solutions suitable to their community needs.
Recognising this critical need, ChildFund India regularly organises one-day training program to enhance the knowledge, skills, and build capacities of these frontline workers in its geographical areas of operation. The training module is designed to strengthen the implementation of Urban Health and Nutrition Days (UHNDs) which are typically held monthly on Tuesdays or Fridays at Anganwadi Centres, to address the health and nutritional needs of pregnant and lactating mothers in the community.
In the last month, one such training was organised in collaboration with the City Programme Management Unit of the National Health Mission (NHM), took place at the Niladri Vihar UPHC Training Hall. It brought together 37 frontline workers, including ASHAs and ANMs, who actively participated in engaging and practical sessions. The participants shared the challenges faced during UHNDs and brainstormed innovative solutions to overcome them.
Through guided sessions, these health workers reflected on their roles and responsibilities, emphasizing the importance of ownership in improving field-level health services. The training not only provided theoretical insights but also encouraged collaborative problem-solving, which is key to addressing the diverse challenges faced in urban health care.
A few days after the training, Anjana shared a change in the behaviour of the mothers as a result of an innovative solution that she had implemented: “The very next day after the training, I created a breastfeeding corner wherever space allowed, during the UHND. This dedicated space gave the mothers to share their issues and enabled me to counsel both pregnant and lactating mothers more effectively on breastfeeding, ensuring they understand its critical benefits in detail.”
This simple yet impactful initiative underscores the importance of focused efforts to strengthen comprehensive urban primary health care. By creating a safe and supportive environment for counselling, Anjana demonstrated how even small changes can bring significant improvements in community health practices.
ChildFund India’s efforts to strengthening the system by building the capacity of frontline workers and addressing persistent challenges and ensuring that urban health services meet the needs of the populations.
