Grant: Planning and Dissemination Grant - Institute Community Support

Background: In developing countries, children under 24 months of age are at the highest risk for poor growth caused by inadequate nutrition and infectious diseases, like worm infections. Deworming is recommended by WHO as of one year of age. However, many countries do not include 12-23 month-olds in national deworming programs. We recently completed a randomized controlled trial of 12-month old children in Iquitos, Peru, demonstrating the impact of deworming on growth and development. Results will be presented at scientific meetings and to policy-makers. In addition, it is essential that results be communicated directly where they can be of practical benefit and uptake. Objective: The proposal is to disseminate trial results in two worm-endemic countries, Peru and México. Activities: Peru does not have a national deworming program, but instead conducts periodic campaigns, primarily in schools. Ministry of Health guidelines for deworming exclude children under two years of age. The proposed audiences for dissemination include: 1) families who participated in the trial, 2) Regional Ministry of Health (MoH), 3) Universidad Nacional de la Amazonia Peruana, 4) Medical College, in Iquitos; 5) MoH and 6) other stakeholders, in Lima. México has one of the largest deworming programs in the world, which is integrated into 'National Health Weeks', targeting 2-14 year-old children. Evidence from our trial suggests that Mexico consider the value of including children as of one year of age. Proposed fora for dissemination include: 1) Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 2) MoH, 3) International Congress of Parasitology, in Mexico City and; 4) Instituto Nacional de Salud Publica in Cuernavaca. Summary: The proposed dissemination activities will bring new evidence on deworming benefits in young children to key policy-makers, researchers, civil society and the community and contribute to the evidence base for the global policy on deworming in all 130 worm-endemic countries.