A grading system for reproductive and child health indicators in southern India.
This study was carried out to develop a system for grading local government sectors (LGS) in regard to reproductive and child health (RCH). RCH indicators for Udupi District in southern India over a one year period were graded. All 146 LGS in 3 municipalities were ranked using the grading system into one of 5 grades. The grading system is based on 14 RCH indicators. There was a wide disparity in RCH among LGS, even though the overall key RCH indicators were good. Using this new grading system for each of the 146 LGS in Udupi District, Udupi, Karkala and Kundapura administrative divisions were all within the first three grades. This new system of grading care in the LGS based on RCH indicators, can be used as an easy reference tool to assess and compare the performance of each LGS. A similar system could be adapted by other countries using RCH indicators.