Assessment of Growth and Early Childhood Development by Health Workers: A Cross-sectional Evaluation in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh

Abstract Background and Objectives: Mother and child protection (MCP) cards play a crucial role in early childhood growth and development identification. This study assesses the completeness of MCP cards and healthcare workers’ readiness for child growth and early childhood development (ECD) assessment in Meerut, UP. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we randomly selected 152 MCP cards of children under three in an urban primary health center. We examined the documentation completeness for child growth and development in the previous month. Simultaneously, we interviewed healthcare workers about their preparedness to assess growth and ECD. Descriptive statistics were used for the analysis. Results: All MCP cards (100%) lacked information on child growth and ECD. All healthcare workers ( n = 18, 100%) were aware of MCP cards. Among Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) workers, 83.33% ( n = 5) received training materials and orientation, while all Anganwadi worker workers (100%, n = 6) received materials, and 66.67% ( n = 4) received training. None of the Accredited Social Health Activist workers received either. All participants (100%, n = 18) expressed the need for refresher training on MCP cards. 26.67% ( n = 8) of mothers received explanations from healthcare workers on ECD, and 10 (33.3%) mothers received explanations on identifying warning signs. Conclusion: The study uncovers significant deficiencies in recording child growth and ECD on MCP cards and reveals a lack of preparedness in providing care for growth and development. These findings emphasize the urgent requirement for comprehensive training, rigorous monitoring, and targeted interventions to address these critical gaps in child healthcare delivery.