ANM

ANM stands for Auxiliary Nurse Midwife, a frontline community health worker in several countries, most notably India. ANMs provide basic maternal and child health care at the community level. They conduct home visits, assist in immunization campaigns, offer antenatal and postnatal care, promote family planning, and provide health education on nutrition and disease prevention. They serve as a critical link between communities and higher-level health facilities and work under the supervision of nurses and doctors in public health settings such as sub-centers and primary health centers.

Training and qualifications: In India, ANMs are trained through a state-recognized two-year diploma program after completing secondary education (12th standard). The curriculum covers maternal and newborn health, child health, immunization, family planning, nutrition, and community health work, including field duties and practical clinical experience.

Role and scope: In rural and underserved areas, ANMs perform newborn and child growth monitoring, identify danger signs during pregnancy, administer vaccines according to national immunization schedules, distribute essential medicines and supplies, counsel on birth preparedness and postnatal care, and facilitate referrals for high-risk pregnancies or complications.

Work environment: ANMs typically operate from sub-centers or primary health centers and conduct home visits. They collaborate with other health workers, such as auxiliary staff and community health workers, and report to designated supervisors within district health systems.

Impact and challenges: ANMs contribute to improvements in maternal and child health indicators by expanding access to essential care. Challenges include heavy workloads, staffing gaps, supply constraints, and the need for ongoing training and supervision.

Note: ANM is an acronym that can refer to other terms in different contexts; this article describes the healthcare role.