An investigation into Community Based growth monitoring and promotion programme: A case of Chingola Urban District

Abstract

Chingola District Health Man^ement Team (DHMT) implemented the Community Based Growth Monitoring and Promotion in 2003. Since implementation the programme has not been evaluated and this study sought to investigate the performance of the programme.Descriptive research design was used in order to ascertain the performance of the programme. The study sampled 5 maternal child health monitoring incharges, 28 community based growth monitoring promotes and 100 mothers with children under 1 year.The report findings revealed that the current knowledge about community Based Growth Monitoring programme in the district is high. Health staff are not supervising the community Based Growth promoters and that most of them are not trained. It also revealed that kasompe Clinic has no community Based Growth monitoring and promotion post near the health centre and that mothers in Clinic One Catchment area shun the community post. In conclusion, the study revealed that health staff are not supervising the community growth promoters. It also revealed that most of the community Based Growth Promoters are not trained.It is recommended that Chingola District Health M^Miagement Team retrain and train more community Based Growth Promoters. The Health Centre Incharges of maternal child health department to visit the community based growth monitoring and promotion posts and that the beneficiaries of health services should be involved in choosing who they want to be the growth promoters in their communities.