Role of supervision in family welfare programme: some guidelines for programme development

Sawhney, N.

Popcen News Letter. Population Centre 4(5): 1-6

1978


PMID: 12157733
Document Number: 308097
Family planning programming has underestimated the crucial role of supervision in both the implementation of administrative policy and the reinforcement and support of field workers in their delicate task of motivating changes in fertility behavior. This article suggests guidelines to improve supervision at the State and district levels. Each district should have one State level officer and healthy competition should be fostered among them. They should meet monthly to discuss progress and to learn from each other and they should attend monthly meeting with the Chief Medical Officer. In addition, the Program Officers should undertake field trips to study the problems of field workers. Notes should be taken on all suggestions and followed up with action. District level officers need strategies to improve the effectiveness of field workers. Workers should be given monthly goals and performance be reviewed regularly and good performance acknowledged. Careful attention should be paid to work plans and close supervision should ensure that people in remote areas or minority groups are not neglected. However, supervisory visits should not be limited to fault-finding but should be seen by the field workers as part of a team effort. A tentative schedule of supervisory visits and duties is suggested for each level of public health center staff (Chief Medical Officer, Dy. Chief Medical Officer, Medical Officer, Block Extension Educator, Health Visitor, Family Planning Health Assistant and Auxiliary Nurse Midwife). Other suggestions for improving field work include morale-boosting pep talks and improved availability of contraceptive supplies and medicines for minor ailments. A second objective of district health officers is to increase program acceptability. This objective can be accomplished by close supervision of the educational and motivational activities of the program staff and by involvement of auxiliary groups including midwives, village leaders and school teachers.

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