New drug for low-cost treatment of anaemia in children

researchers report in the latest issue of the American Journal of Nutrition that they have developed a new drug that can effectively prevent and treatanemia in childrenThe drug is cheap and promises to be a boon for children in poor countriesThe new drug, called Sprinkles, has been tested in Haiti, according to researchers at the International Food Policy Institute and Cornell University in the United StatesIn 2005, 415 Haitian children between 6 and 24 months of age participated in the trialIt was found that two months after the new drug was added to children's food, the prevalence of anaemia dropped from 54 per cent to 24 per cent and 14 per cent after seven months, and the prevalence of anaemia in children who did not use the new drug did not decreaseIn addition, the drug has been tested in other developing countries, including Bangladesh, Indonesia and GhanaThe new drug is a dry, odorless powder that is used in a small bag a day that can be mixed into food to feed the childEach pouch contains 12.5 mg of iron and also contains zinc, vitamin A and vitamin CThe price per child per month is only $1Anaemia in children and related malnutrition are very serious problems in many developing countriesMary Ruel, an expert at the International Food Policy Institute, said: "Sprinkles is an effective and practical tool to reduce the prevalence of anaemia in children, and its potential is enormous if used in conjunction with other food aid programs"