LHW Punjab and ICT Report - Oxford Policy Management

LADY HEALTH WORKER EVALUATION – PUNJAB AND ICT SURVEY REPORTSupervisors who were fully trained scored seventy-five percent on average whereas thosewho had attended only the initial training and not the in-service training scored sixty-fivepercent.Figure 5-2 Relationship between the Knowledge Score and the Level of Education of LHWsand Supervisors- Nation-wide10090Knowledge score807060505969 7071727573 74 75LHWSupervisor4030< 8 yrs 8-9 yrs Matric Intermediate Graduate Post GradHighest level of educationIMPROVING KNOWLEDGE THROUGH TRAININGThe level of clinical knowledge of LHWs and their Supervisors is important in the provisionof a professional and safe service and for the reputation of the LHWP. We have also foundthat LHWs with higher levels of knowledge deliver more services. The main means ofincreasing the knowledge of the current LHWs and Supervisors is through training and onthe-jobcoaching.All LHWs in Punjab and ICT had received their full-time three-month basic trainingcourse at the facilities where they were recruited. The Programme in Punjab and ICT has thendelivered on average eleven months of task-based training. 32 Doctors at the health facilityhave been important in the provision of the training along with the Lady Health Visitor andDispensers. However despite the reasonably high levels of initial training that was providedthere continue to be substantial gaps in LHWs’ knowledge across the country. This suggestsproblems in the quality of the training and/or a failure to reinforce the knowledge imparted. Itmay be in some cases that the trainers themselves did not have sufficient knowledge, orlacked teaching skills particularly in providing experiential training. 33Refresher and on-the-job training needs to be readily available in order to maintainand update knowledge. While most LHWs have received some refresher training in the pastfour years, there would be benefits in providing it more frequently and to a high standard.Supervisors in Punjab and ICT are providing the highest level of training on-the-job to their32 The standard is three months of initial training and twelve months of task-based training.33 See Appendix 9 for more information on training of LHWs and their Supervisor’s.26