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

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.