Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #117050

Joseph Ndakala, MD, MPH¹, Emmanuel D'Harcourt, MD, MPH², and Maureen Phelan, MPH². (1) DR Congo Child Survival Program, The International Rescue Committee, c/o IRC, 122 East 42nd street, New York, NY 10168, (243) 977 33 946, jndakala@yahoo.fr, (2) Health Unit, International Rescue Committee, IRC, 122 East 42nd street, New york city, NY 10168

BACKGROUND: Recent surveys in DR Congo confirm that diarrhea is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, as in many developing countries. Only 20% of children with diarrhea get ORS, and none receive zinc, although zinc treatment has been shown to reduce mortality and is recommended by WHO. We present here the results of what is, to our knowledge, the first zinc treatment program outside of an academic trial. METHODS: Trained community distributors provide ORS and treat children under five with diarrhea with ten days of zinc. All complicated cases, including those with multiple symptoms, are referred to the nearest health center. The program's main evaluation criteria are zinc and ORS coverage, as well as treatment compliance. We report here on data from the phase's pilot stage. RESULTS: In the first two months of operation, community distributors in Cibingu Health Center treated 193 children, compared to 16 children treated at health centers over the same period and 9 treated at health centers in the two months before the program began. Children under six months are almost twice as likely to be brought for treatment. Compliance with the full 10-day course of treatment is above 75%, and mothers report high levels of satisfaction with the treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Community zinc treatment of children for diarrhea is feasible and dramatically increases coverage for both zinc and ORS. Compliance is good and satisfaction high. The program can only continue, however, if systems are put in place to support community distributors.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the session, participants will be able to
• Name 3 benefits of zinc treatment for young children
• Name 3 major findings of the IRC’s pilot program
• Develop a plan for zinc treatment in their work area

Keywords: International Health, Community Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.