LHW Systems Review - Oxford Policy Management

LHWP – Systems ReviewTable 5.1 Comparison of LHW and LHS knowledge scores between 2000and 2008Distribution of scoreLHWsLHSs2000 (%) 2008 (%) 2000 (%) 2008 (%)Up to 70 49 33 28 1471–80 35 34 45 4381–90 16 31 27 40Over 90 0 2 0 4Mean score 69 74 74 78Source: OPM LHWP 4th Independent Evaluation, Quantitative Survey data, 2008.Training of LHWs completed All LHWs have completed their initial three months’ training,and more than 95 percent have attended the task-based training that follows (one week permonth for a year).Refresher training Almost all LHWs had had some additional training, including refreshertraining. In 2007–08, the Programme had planned for refresher training courses in theoptimal birth spacing interval (OBSI) (five days), 32 Child Health (three days), InjectableContraceptives (three days), and Revised MIS tools (four days).The majority of LHWs attended refresher trainings in OBSI, Child Health and InjectableContraceptives in 2007/08. Less than half the number of LHWs attended training in theRevised MIS tools in the previous year; however, 65 percent had a manual indicating thatthey would have received training in the previous years. In addition, a large number of LHWsattended refresher training in Counselling Cards and around one fifth attended Food andNutrition trainings (Table 5.2). In some cases, refresher training is substituted by the districtdue to printing material not being available for the planned training courses. Even so, it isapparent that many LHWs are now attending a broad range of refresher training courses.The Programme should review refresher training to ensure this is focused on areas whereLHW knowledge is weak (e.g. growth monitoring, diarrhoea treatment, and pneumonia). 33Almost all districts reported holding refresher training courses, as planned, in: Child Health,Injectable Contraceptives, Revised MIS tools, OBSI, and Counselling Cards. In the fewcases when training did not take place, it was mainly due to training material not beingavailable.The LHWs also reported attending a wide range of other additional training courses,including: TB DOTS, measles, training on eye diseases, breastfeeding, tetanus toxoidimmunizations, iodized salt, and the dental health baseline health survey. There was somevariation between provinces.32OBSI and Injectable Contraceptives are, in part, refresher trainings in family planning knowledge and skills. It is possible thatLHWs who reported having been on a family planning training course had attended either OBSI or Injectable contraceptives, orboth.33Quantitative Survey Report, August 2009: 62.22