BMJ  2006;333:122 (15 July), doi:10.1136/bmj.38877.393530.7C (published 21 June 2006)

Research

Effect on weight gain of routinely giving albendazole to preschool children during child health days in Uganda: cluster randomised controlled trial

Harold Alderman, lead human development economist1, Joseph Konde-Lule, professor of epidemiology2, Isaac Sebuliba, research fellow2, Donald Bundy, lead specialist1, Andrew Hall, partnership for child development3

1 World Bank, Washington DC 20433, USA, 2 Institute of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, 3 Centre for Public Health Nutrition, School of Integrated Health, University of Westminster, London W1W 6UW

Correspondence to: H Alderman halderman{at}worldbank.org

Abstract

Objective To estimate the effectiveness of delivering an anthelmintic through a community child health programme on the weight gain of preschool children in Uganda.

Design Cluster randomised controlled trial.

Setting Eastern Uganda.

Participants 48 parishes participating in a new programme for child health: 24 offered children an additional service of anthelmintic treatment. The outcome is based on measurements from 27 995 children.

Intervention Treatment of children aged between 1 and 7 years with 400 mg albendazole added to standard services offered during child health days over a three year period.

Main outcome measure Weight gain.

Results The provision of periodic anthelmintic treatment as a part of child health services in Uganda resulted in an increase in weight gain of about 10% (166 g per child per year, 95% confidence interval 16 to 316) above expected weight gain when treatments were given twice a year, and an increase of 5% when the treatment was given annually.

Conclusion Deworming of preschool children in Uganda as part of regularly scheduled health services seems practical and associated with increased weight gain.


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