From evidence to national scale: An implementation framework for micronutrient powders in Rwanda.

Micronutrient powders (MNP) are an efficacious intervention in terms of reducing anaemia among young children, yet challenges remain regarding implementation at scale. Research that can guide effective implementation of nutrition interventions and facilitate integration into existing health care platforms is needed. This paper seeks to advance the implementation science knowledge base by presenting our multiphased strategy and findings for scaling-up MNP in Rwanda.

Rwanda's evolving community health worker system: a qualitative assessment of client and provider perspectives.

Background: Community health workers (CHWs) can play important roles in primary health care delivery, particularly in settings of health workforce shortages. However, little is known about CHWs' perceptions of barriers and motivations, as well as those of the beneficiaries of CHWs. In Rwanda, which faces a significant gap in human resources for health, the Ministry of Health expanded its community health programme beginning in 2007, eventually placing 4 trained CHWs in every village in the country by 2009.

Maternal knowledge on mother-to-child transmission of HIV and breastmilk alternatives for HIV positive mothers in Homa Bay District Hospital, Kenya.

Background: Mother- to- Child Transmission (MTCT) of HIV is a relatively new concept in rural populations and despite the huge amount of work that has been done on the HIV/AIDS, there still remains a dearth of information in knowledge of mothers on this concept especially in areas related to appropriate feeding methods for infants born to mothers infected with the virus.

Objectives: To determine maternal knowledge on MTCT of HIV in the rural setting and to examine viable breastmilk alternatives for mothers who would be HIV positive.

Design: A cross- sectional study, supported by an observational study.

The health equity dimensions of urban food systems.

There is increasing recognition that the nutrition transition sweeping the world's cities is multifaceted. Urban food and nutrition systems are beginning to share similar features, including an increase in dietary diversity, a convergence toward "Western-style" diets rich in fat and refined carbohydrate and within-country bifurcation of food supplies and dietary conventions. Unequal access to the available dietary diversity, calories, and gastronomically satisfying eating experience leads to nutritional inequalities and diet-related health inequities in rich and poor cities alike.

A compositional study of Moringa stenopetala leaves.

Objective: To investigate nutrient composition in moringa leaves and compare with those of kale (Brassica carinata) and Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris).

Design: Laboratory based study, nutrient composition of fresh and cooked leaves of M. stenopetala were analyzed.

Malnutrition and iron deficiency in lactating women in urban slum communities from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Objective: To determine the status of iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) and malnutrition in lactating women.

Design: A cross-sectional study.

Setting: Six urban slum communities in Teklehaimanot district, Addis Ababa.

Daily versus weekly iron supplementation and prevention of iron deficiency anaemia in lactating women.

Objective: To demonstrate the effectiveness and social feasibility of weekly versus daily iron supplementation in preventing and treating iron deficiency anaemia among anaemic mothers.

Design: A longitudinal in nature.

Setting: Seven urban slum communities in Teklehaimanot Wereda, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Prevalence of vitamin A deficiency among pre-school and school-aged children in Arssi Zone, Ethiopia.

Objective: To investigate vitamin A status of pre-school and school aged children in the study area.

Design: Cross-sectional.

Setting: Arssi, Ethiopia.

Child care practices and nutritional status of children aged 0-2 years in Thika, Kenya.

Objective: To assess time allocation for child care and the nutritional status of children aged 0-2 years.

Design: Cross sectional descriptive survey using a structured questionnaire and taking of anthropometric measurements to determine the nutritional status of children aged 0 to 2 years. In addition, two day (10 hour) observations were conducted in a subsample of households to assess time allocation for the main child care activities.

Familial tendency and dietary association of goitre in Gamo-Gofa, Ethiopia.

Objective: To assess the familial tendency and dietary association of goitre.

Design: Cross-sectional study with descriptive and analytical components.

Setting: Goma-Gofa, south Ethiopia.

Evaluation of weaning diets in peri urban Kumasi, Ghana.

This work evaluates the commonly used weaning diets in peri-urban Kumasi, Ghana, in terms of the type of diets, daily energy and nutrient intakes of the infants, frequency of feeding, and the chemical composition of the diets. Women with children of up to two years old in peri-urban communities of Kumasi municipality of Ghana, were interviewed in a cross-sectional survey. One hundred and seventy two mothers were randomly sampled and questioned on their socio-economic characteristics, types of weaning diets they give to their children, and the dietary intakes of their children.

Effect of tempe-yellow maize porridge and milk-yellow maize porridge on growth rate, diarrhoea and duration of rehabilitation of malnourished children.

The diet for 117 protein-energy-malnourished children admitted into the Mbooni Family Life Training Centre between November 1992 and March 1993, was supplemented with either tempe-yellow maize porridge (TYMP) or milk-yellow maize porridge (MYMP). Fifty-six malnourished children had their diet supplemented with TYMP. Another group of 61 children had theirs supplemented with MYMP.

Dietary habits, pregnancy weight gain and birthweights in a highland population of Kenya.

In a prospective study of the effects of micro-nutrient supplementation during pregnancy in a cohort of healthy, non-anaemic antenatal outpatients of a small hospital in highland Kenya, research was also carried out on dietary habits, weight gain and birth-weights. Participants were enrolled at a mean gestation of 29 weeks (s.d.

Dietary considerations in designing nutrition intervention programmes in rural areas of Kenya.

A comparative study was carried out in three localities in Kenya: Kwale, Mbooni and Lwak in an attempt to identify dietary factors important in designing community based nutrition interventions. The data indicate geographical differences in age at weaning, reasons for termination of breastfeeding, the variety in the diets consumed and the nutrient intake adequacy. However, there was no difference in the duration in breastfeeding and, for children above 6 months (a period when weaning is recommended) rarely was there any food termed as "baby food" but children consumed bits and portions of the family food.