Background: Nutritional status of under-5 children in India is not promising and lags far behind the WHO Global Nutrition Targets. Although the Integrated Child Development Services has been continuously delivered through Anganwadi centers since 1975, the burden of malnutrition still persists.
Objectives: This study was conducted to estimate the knowledge and practice pattern of Anganwadi supervisors and the effect of capacity building through remote supportive supervision during the COVID-19 pandemic in Assam, India.
Methods: A cross-sectional before-after study using a mixed methods approach was used to evaluate the knowledge pattern and service delivery of supervisors from each district of Assam. For qualitative assessment, telephone depth interviews were conducted.
Results: Knowledge of supervisors in the beginning was 83.43% which improved by 7.97% at the end of the study. The highest burden of SAM children was in Tinsukia and Barpeta districts. On mapping, most districts with lower burden of SAM had supervisors with higher knowledge levels on Infant and Young Child Feeding practices. Qualitative assessment revealed house-to-house visit for ensuring service delivery and use of online platforms and phone calls for counseling. However, community resistance and lack of transport stood as a main challenge.
Conclusion: Supportive supervision done remotely during the pandemic to enhance the performance of health workforce was found effective.
Keywords: Anganwadi; COVID; Infant and Young Child Feeding; nutrition; supportive supervision; under-5.