RESUMO
To study the compliance and acceptability of the Sprinkle intervention and assess its effect on childhood anaemia in Mardan North West Frontier Province [NWFP] of Pakistan. A total of 270 children were selected randomly from the 844 Afghan refugee and Pakistani children aged 6-36 months within the catchments area of Kagan Health Care Centre of Frontier Primary Health Care. Each child was given 60 single-dose sachets of Sprinkles to be consumed in 60 days. Haemoglobin concentrations [Hb] were assessed at baseline and at the end of the intervention. Data on compliance was collected once a month. Acceptability was assessed at the end by care giver interviews and focus group discussions [FGD]. Mean [SD] Hb increased from 95 g/L to 110 g/L [p<0.05]. Anaemia prevalence significantly decreased from 86% to 51% [p<0.05]. Mean compliance was 73%. A significant dose-response association between anaemia prevalence and number of multiple micronutrient doses consumed was observed [p=0.007]. Interviews and FGDs revealed a high acceptance rate of the intervention. Major perceived benefits included children's higher appetite and playfulness. The high acceptance of and compliance with the Sprinkles intervention resulted in a significant reduction in the prevalence of childhood anaemia in NWFP