More nutrients, fewer parasites, better learning.
By 1997 it is intended that all of India's 160 million primary-school children will be given a free daily midday meal. Since 1994 almost 3 million such children in Gujarat, already benefiting from this initiative, have been receiving, in addition, supplements of iron, iodine and vitamin A, and deworming treatment with albendazole. As a consequence there have been significant, highly cost-effective and sustainable improvements in growth rates and haemoglobin levels, and decreases in the prevalence of ocular signs of vitamin A deficiency and in intestinal parasitic infections.
Gopaldas
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Tara Consultancy Services, Nagavarapalaya, Bangalore, India.
D000293:Adolescent; D015766:Albendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007455:Iodine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007501:Iron / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D018529:Nutritional Support; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage
D000871:Anthelmintics; D014801:Vitamin A; D007455:Iodine; D007501:Iron; D015766:Albendazole