Preventive and therapeutic benefits in relation to cost: performance over 10 years of Mothercraft Centers in Haiti.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of Mothercraft Centers operating in Haiti over the period 1964 to 1975 as a public health measure in private and public health services is reported. For the most part, the data are derived from centers operating routinely in the health services rather than from pilot demonstrations. Their impact in both therapy and prevention of severe malnutrition in preschool children is considered, and it is found that numerically the greater benefit is in prevention. At a total annual cost of $4034 a typical center accomplishes successful therapy and prevents relapse in 105 children. In addition, it provides protection against severe malnutrition to their 306 younger siblings. It is thus estimated that, considering only these 411 children demonstrably benefited from a year's operation, the cost of providing essentially lifetime protection from severe malnutrition is approximately $10 per child.