Planning & Design

Public and Private Sector Dynamics in Scaling Up Rice Fortification: The Colombian Experience and its Lessons. BACKGROUND: Fortification of cereal grains with at least iron or folic acid is legislated in 85 countries worldwide. Relative to wheat and maize flour, rice fortification is relatively new and provides an opportunity to deliver essential micronutrients to populations that […]

Cereal fortification programs in developing countries. Malnutrition is a major problem among children especially in the developing world. In most developing countries children show growth faltering between 6 and 24 months of age due to inadequate complementary feeding. Complementary foods are transitional foods given in addition to breast milk, following exclusive breastfeeding during the first […]

A protocol for engaging unlicensed private drug shops in Rural Eastern Uganda for Integrated Community Case Management (ICCM) of malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea in children under 5 years of age. INTRODUCTION: Malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea are leading causes of death in young children in Uganda. In 2010, Integrated Community Case Management (ICCM) was adopted in Uganda for […]

Behaviour change communication targeting four health behaviours in developing countries: a review of change techniques. Behaviour change communication is vital for increasing the enactment of particular behaviours known to promote health and growth. The techniques used to change behaviour are important for determining how successful the intervention is. In order to integrate findings from different […]

Design, content and financing of an essential national package of health services. A minimum package of public health and clinical interventions, which are highly cost-effective and deal with major sources of disease burden, could be provided in low-income countries for about US$ 12 per person per year, and in middle-income countries for about $22. Properly […]

Implementing preventive iron-folic acid supplementation among women of reproductive age in some Western Pacific countries: possibilities and challenges. Lack of effective implementation mechanisms is identified as a major obstacle in the prevention and control of iron-deficiency anemia. This paper discusses experiences gained from implementing iron-folic acid supplementation in the Philippines, Vietnam, and Cambodia. The understanding […]

Eradication of iron deficiency anemia through food fortification: the role of the private sector. Delivering iron fortified foods that provide meaningful levels of bioavailable iron without altering the accepted appearance and taste of the product presents multiple challenges. Issues relating to food technology, product formulation, acceptance and efficacy evaluation, marketing and quality control must all […]

Folic acid food fortification-its history, effect, concerns, and future directions. Periconceptional intake of folic acid is known to reduce a woman’s risk of having an infant affected by a neural tube birth defect (NTD). National programs to mandate fortification of food with folic acid have reduced the prevalence of NTDs worldwide. Uncertainty surrounding possible unintended […]

Evidence-based interventions for improvement of maternal and child nutrition: what can be done and at what cost? Maternal undernutrition contributes to 800,000 neonatal deaths annually through small for gestational age births; stunting, wasting, and micronutrient deficiencies are estimated to underlie nearly 3·1 million child deaths annually. Progress has been made with many interventions implemented at […]

DEWORMING DELUSIONS? MASS DRUG ADMINISTRATION IN EAST AFRICAN SCHOOLS. Recent debates about deworming school-aged children in East Africa have been described as the ‘Worm Wars’. The stakes are high. Deworming has become one of the top priorities in the fight against infectious diseases. Staff at the World Health Organization, the Gates Foundation and the World […]