INACG: Iron/ Multi-Micronutrient Supplements for Young Children

Abstract: In May 1995, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Institute of Child Health, London, held a meeting on “Iron Interventions for Child Survival.” Among children under 5 years of age, three groups were identified for intervention: premature and low-birth-weight infants under 6 months of age, children 6 to 24 months of age, and children 24 months and older. Among children under 5 years old, those between 6 and 24 months were identified as most at risk of being iron deficient (Nestel 1996). Because there are no generic low-cost prophylactic iron supplements for this age group, one recommendation from this meeting was to identify an appropriate iron formulation and regimen for young children who are unable to swallow or who have difficulty swallowing tablets. To address this issue, USAID’s Opportunities for Micronutrient Interventions (OMNI) Project and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) jointly organized this meeting with the participation of WHO, the pharmaceutical industry, and international experts.

Download the report here.