Integrating prevention of acute respiratory infections with micro-credit programme: experience of BRAC, Bangladesh.

The contribution of acute respiratory infection control project within the framework of micro-credit-based development intervention in promoting maternal knowledge of ARIs in children was assessed. Data came from a cross-sectional survey of 2814 mothers of under 5-y-old children residing in 200 randomly selected villages in five districts in Bangladesh. Findings revealed that the ARI control project had significant positive effects in raising knowledge of clinical signs and preventive measures. When ARI control project activities were integrated with the credit-based development initiative, maternal knowledge improved even further. The study concludes that the micro-credit programme can be a catalytic agent in raising health knowledge among poor women in developing countries.