Ifakara

Researchers are evaluating World Vision's 7-year quasi-experimental intervention called REACTS-IN, aimed at improving nutrition, nutrition-related rights, and gender equality for women, adolescent girls, and children under five years old in rural Bangladesh, Kenya, and Tanzania. This multi-sectoral approach integrates nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive activities, including water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH) interventions, health systems strengthening, and school-based programs. The evaluation focuses on measuring changes in child growth, maternal and child dietary habits, women's empowerment, and access to equitable health services for nutrition and sexual and reproductive health needs, while analyzing gender differences. The intervention includes educational training about nutrition, gender equity, WASH, and sexual and reproductive health rights delivered in communities and schools for women, men, and adolescents. It also supports weekly iron and folic acid supplementation programs for adolescent girls in schools where allowed. Health service staff receive training to improve gender-equitable access to nutrition and reproductive health services. Additionally, the program promotes and distributes bio-fortified crops such as orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, rice, beans, and corn. Participants will be involved in data collection at baseline, midpoint, and end-line to assess various indicators. Surveys will be conducted with households, mothers with children in specified age groups, and school-going adolescents to gather information on knowledge, practices, and empowerment. Health staff and community leaders will provide qualitative data on gender-equitable service access. The evaluation will include about 463 households per arm per country and 500 adolescents per arm per country for each time point, with data collected from intervention and comparison communities over an average follow-up of five years.

Researchers are evaluating whether using lung ultrasound can help doctors improve the treatment of lung infections in children aged 2 months to 12 years. Lung infections are the most common reason for children to visit clinics or hospitals, and current guidelines often lead to giving antibiotics to nearly all children with symptoms, although many infections are caused by viruses that do not require antibiotics. Overuse of antibiotics can cause health problems for children and contribute to antibiotic resistance, which is a growing global concern. The study compares the use of portable lung ultrasound as a tool to better identify children who truly need antibiotics against the standard care approach that relies on clinical signs alone. Children who are very unwell or have already received more than 2 days of antibiotic treatment are not included. The ultrasound device is portable and designed to be used easily by healthcare workers, potentially improving diagnosis without extra costs or radiation exposure. Participants will be monitored to see how many children receive antibiotics on the first day and how many show clinical failure by day 8. The study involves assessments such as clinical exams and lung ultrasounds to guide treatment decisions. Researchers will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of using lung ultrasound to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use while maintaining good health outcomes for the children. Parents or caregivers will provide consent and receive information about the study before participation.