Role of Anganwadi in Immunization

Hypothesis:

There is a gender biasness in immunization and it can be reduced effectively with the help of ANGANWADI CENTERS

Objective of the paper:

Analyze the various data to show the pattern of gender biasness in immunization.

How Anganwadi helps in removing the disparities.

Anganwadi: Introduction

Govt. sponsored child-care and mother-care center

Started in 1975 as a part of ICDS programme

1.053-anganwadi centers 1.8- anganwadi workers 58.1-children 10.23-lactating and pregnant

women

(all no. in millions)

OBJECTIVES OF ANGANWADI

Regular health check

up

immunization

Health education

Non-formal pre school education

Supplementary nutrition

IMMUNIZATION

A process whereby a person made immune or resistant to an infectious disease typically by the administration of vaccine.

What is the problem?

Mixture of socio economic factors. The strong preference for sons over

daughters and resulting discrimination against daughters in India is well known, though the preference is not uniformly observed across the country. Discrimination can be in provision of nutrition and health care is often identified in the economics. This ultimately made large gender imbalances in economy too.

Other areas experiencing gender biasness

Education and employment

Nutrition and Health Care

Economic (Paternal property)

,social,religious

DATA

Primary data- NFHS survey (2005-06) Field interaction with few Anganwadi

workers. The data is interpreted on the

variable that whether the child was fully immunized or not w.r.t the recommended expanded progrmme on EPI.

3 set of data were analyzed

Set-1

Indicators used - fully immunized vaccination card not vaccinated Nationally the ratio is 1.13 times more

favored then girls in immunization program.(i3)

In other two program the national ratio varied from 1.07(i2) and 1.01(i3).

large disparities in states varying from 0.57 to 1.17

Set-2

Deals male/female ration with different kind of immunization

Almost every category has slightly high rate of girls than that of boys

Immunization of girls start but get completed in a few cases.

The case of vaccination card

Mulaqqat:

500 p.m. and too much of work.. ! Child especially girl child born in

house rarely get vaccinated. If girl child is 2nd or 3rd then less

attention Not trained in the task of

immunization and miscommunication with local health centers.

Girls are strong enough to survive and no need for supplementary care ……… really???... So scary…??

Ways to conquer

• EDUCATION TO PARENTS and awareness among them will make them know the importance of immunization to all children.

• Qualified and trained AWW will make the people more alert and will help them overcome the problem.

• AWC should keep an eye on the Regular Growth Table.

• The small AWCs should inform prior to the immunization dates , in small areas.

• Hum do aur humara ek agar mand, toh hum do aur humare do pe bilkul band.

• Surveys should be made by the small AWCs, in small places, to check that properly immunization is done.

• Parents should be rewarded for bringing there girl child for immunization for regular basis.

• The income of AWW should be increased so that they become more responsible and such problems are solved.

• Local government, or village kevel govt. in villages should support these Anganwadis in creating awareness.

“They are like kikar. Girls will grow up without any care just as the kikar tree grows up without any care just as the kikar tree

grows up without any care. But boys are like Sisham. Morever,

caring for a girl means caring for someone else’s bag because she

is paraya dhan and will go to others’ house after marriage.”

Thanks……

presented by

Varsha GumashtaNilesh Shreedhar