Anganwadi Worker - Functions and Responsibilities

1. Supplementary Nutrition

• Provides take-home rations or hot cooked meals to children (6 months - 6 years), pregnant women, and lactating mothers.
• Ensures malnourished children receive therapeutic/supplementary feeding.
• Monitors the nutritional status of beneficiaries through regular weighing.

2. Immunization

• Mobilizes beneficiaries for immunization sessions organized by health workers (ANM).
• Maintains records of vaccinated children and ensures all eligible children are fully immunized.
• Works in close coordination with ASHA and ANM under the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP).

3. Health Checkup

• Assists the Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) during health checkups at the Anganwadi Centre.
• Identifies sick, malnourished, or at-risk children and refers them to the appropriate health facility.
• Conducts growth monitoring - weighing children monthly and plotting on growth charts.

4. Referral Services

• Identifies children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers who need medical attention.
• Refers them to Primary Health Centres (PHC), hospitals, or Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres (NRC).
• Follows up on referred cases to ensure they received care.

5. Non-Formal Pre-School Education (PSE)

• Provides early childhood care and education (ECCE) to children aged 3-6 years at the Anganwadi Centre.
• Uses play-based methods, stories, songs, and activities to prepare children for formal schooling.
• This is a major function distinguishing AWW from purely health-focused workers.

6. Nutrition and Health Education (NHE)

• Conducts health and nutrition education sessions for mothers and women in the community.
• Educates on topics like breastfeeding, complementary feeding, hygiene, sanitation, family planning, and child care.
• Organizes mother meetings at the AWC.

7. Registration and Record-Keeping

• Maintains an up-to-date list of all beneficiaries (children, pregnant and lactating women) in her catchment area.
• Keeps registers such as:
  • Growth monitoring register
  • Beneficiary register
  • Nutrition register
  • Stock register
• Submits Monthly Progress Reports (MPR) to the supervisor (Mukhya Sevika).

8. Home Visits

• Makes regular home visits to:
  • Identify newborns, newly pregnant women, and dropouts.
  • Counsel mothers on child care, feeding practices, and hygiene.
  • Ensure coverage of services in the community.

9. Birth and Death Registration

• Assists in civil registration by reporting births and deaths in the community to concerned authorities.

10. Coordination with Other Departments

• Works in convergence with health department (ANM, ASHA), education department, and PDS (Public Distribution System).
• Participates in Village Health, Sanitation and Nutrition Day (VHSND) / Village Health and Nutrition Day (VHND) - a monthly platform for integrated service delivery.

Summary Table