Effect of Routine Deworming on Weight of Children 5-16 Years Old in an Urban Slum of Karachi: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Soil Transmitted Helminths (STH) are among the most common infections in the world today. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends mass administration of deworming medicine as a single routine annual dose to all school age children (SAC)(age 5-16 years) in countries where prevalence of Soil Transmitted Helminthic Infections (STHI) is > 20% as a safe public health intervention that promotes healthy growth (Category 2 Recommendation). Pakistan is classified as a low burden community with a reported prevalence of STHI <50%, however,routine deworming is not a policy in Pakistan. Currently, Pakistan is also facing a huge burden of malnutrition in all age groups especially in population belonging to low socioeconomic group. Incidentally, worm infestation by STH also occurs in this group due to associated lack of hygiene and poor living conditions. The coexistence of even moderate STH infections can cause or aggravate malnutrition. The urban slums of Karachi provide environmental, social and behavioral conditions that favor both STH infections and a risk of under nutrition. It is unknown if administering routine dose of deworming medicine to SAC as per WHO recommendation will contribute to improvement in indicators of nutrition status in Pakistani children living in urban slum conditions by eliminating worm infection.Therefore, this study is being conducted to determine the effect of deworming on weight of School Age Children aged between 5 to 16 years.